Variable reflectance mirror reflective element for exterior mirror assembly

ABSTRACT

A variable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween. A mirror reflector is disposed at a third surface of the rear substrate. A perimeter layer is disposed at a second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge and generally conceals the perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through the front substrate. Light that reflects off of the mirror reflector and passes through the electrochromic medium and the front substrate exhibits a substantially non-spectrally selective reflectance characteristic when no voltage is applied to the electrochromic medium. A display is disposed proximate a fourth surface of the rear at a light-transmitting portion of the mirror reflector established by laser ablation. The display is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detector of the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/809,539, filed Jul. 27, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,341,914,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/280,869,filed May 19, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,090,211, which is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/964,139, filed Aug. 12, 2013, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,727,547, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/632,572, filed Oct. 1, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No.8,506,096, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/900,063, filed Oct. 7, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,277,059, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/476,309, filed Jun.2, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,826,123, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/124,365, filed May 21, 2008, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,542,193, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/837,865, filed Aug. 13, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,391,563, whichis a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451, which claims benefit of U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser.No. 60/563,342, filed Apr. 19, 2004; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filed Mar. 17,2004; and Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec. 23, 2003; and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/021,065 is a continuation-in-part of PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003, and published May21, 2004 as International Publication No. WO 2004/042457, which claimsbenefit of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/490,111, filedJul. 25, 2003; and Ser. No. 60/423,903, filed Nov. 5, 2002; and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065 is a continuation-in-part of PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003, and published Apr.1, 2004 as International Publication No. WO 2004/026633, which claimsbenefit of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/489,816, filedJul. 24, 2003; Ser. No. 60/424,116, filed Nov. 5, 2002; and Ser. No.60/412,275, filed Sep. 20, 2002, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to reflective element assembliesfor rearview mirrors of vehicles and, more particularly, toelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element assemblies and amethod for manufacturing electro-optic or electrochromic reflectiveelement assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automotive electrochromic mirror reflective element cell assembliestypically include a front substrate and a rear substrate and anelectrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween and contained within aninterpane cavity. The substrates are shaped as desired by the automobilemanufacturer for a particular mirror design or application. For example,an interior rearview mirror reflective element may have substrates thatare generally oval or trapezoidal in shape and are formed to beapproximately 20-26 cm long and 5-8 cm tall or wide. Exterior mirrorreflective element assemblies are shaped differently and may havesharper radii at the corners and may be flat or convex or aspheric,depending on the particular application. The size of the substrates forthe exterior reflective element assemblies may vary from about 7 cm by 7cm to about 10 cm by 18 cm or larger.

During manufacture and assembly of the reflective cell element assembly,the respective front and rear substrates are often cut or broken out ascut shapes from larger flat or curved lites, typically glass sheets orlites. The individual front and rear cut shapes or substrates arecleaned and then coated with a conductive or semiconductive coating orcoatings that are reflective or transparent. After they are coated, anuncured adhesive material, typically an uncured epoxy material (oftencontaining spacer beads, such as glass beads or the like), is appliedaround the perimeter of one of the cut shapes or substrates, and theother cut shape or substrate is superimposed thereupon and spaced apartfrom the first cut shape by the applied perimeter material. The uncuredadhesive material is then cured, such as by heating, to adhere theshapes or substrates together and to space the substrates apart adesired amount to define an appropriate interpane cavity spacing. Thesubstrates, so adhered together and interspaced apart, form an emptycell with an interpane cavity between the substrates and bounded by theperimeter seal. Next, an electrolyte or monomer composition is filledinto the cavity via an aperture (commonly known as a fill port or plughole) provided in the perimeter material or seal, such as via a vacuumfill process. However, until such time as the interpane cavity is formedby the juxtapositioning and superimposing of the respective front andrear shapes or substrates of the electrochromic cell, dirt or glasschips or dust or skin flakes or other debris or contaminants or the likemay fall onto or contact the pristine surface of any one of thesubstrates (the pristine surfaces are the opposing surfaces of the frontand rear substrates that oppose one another when the substrates are heldtogether and that are contacted by the electrolyte or monomercomposition or electrochromic medium in the interpane cavity). Suchcontaminants (whether contacting the surfaces before or after coating)may interfere with the coloration/bleach mechanism and/or the coatingdurability/adhesion (such that voids may exist in the coating due toglass chips or the like), as well as affect the perimeter seal adhesion,and thus often result in a flawed cell exhibiting cosmetic defects thatis often discarded or scrapped.

In order for the completed mirror reflective element assembly or cell toavoid such flaws, the pristine surfaces (that will oppose one anotherwhen the substrates are adhered together and that have thesemiconductive or conductive layers applied thereto) of the substratespreferably must be kept clean and untouched throughout the coating,conveying, adhering and assembly processes. Difficulties in keeping thesurfaces pristine are often encountered because the individual cut shapesubstrates are often handled and conveyed as they are moved from oneprocess or station to the next. Often, the individual cut shapesubstrates are cleaned, such as via an ultrasonic cleaner or scrubber toremove any such debris or the like. However, the individual cut shapesubstrates may be conveyed along a conveyor and held down via rollersduring the scrubbing process, where the rollers often encroach and sotouch the pristine surface of the substrate that will be the innersurface of the cavity. If any marks or debris are left by the rollers,they may be visible in the finished product and may result in the cellbeing scrapped.

It is also known to provide display windows in the reflective coating orlayer of a reflective element assembly, such that a display device orillumination source may be viewable through the display window.Typically, for fourth surface reflective element assemblies (where themetallic reflective coating or layer is applied to the fourth or rearsurface of the reflective element assembly), such display windows may beformed in the reflective coating of the substrate via laser ablating oretching or sand blasting the reflective coating from the window area ofthe fourth surface (i.e., the rear surface of the rear substrate) afterthe reflective mirror coating (typically a silver mirror reflector layerovercoated with a copper layer and protected by a paint overcoat) isapplied over substantially the entire fourth surface. The reflectivecoating is removed from the desired window area such that the glass orsubstrate surface is exposed on the fourth surface in the window area.

However, such an approach does not readily apply to forming windowsthrough the metallic reflective coating of third surface reflectiveelement assemblies (i.e., a reflective element assembly that has themetallic reflective coating on the third surface (the front surface ofthe rear substrate) of the reflective element assembly). In order toproperly darken or color the electrochromic medium disposed between thesubstrates, the opposed surfaces of the substrates (the front surface ofthe rear substrate and the rear surface of the front substrate) arecoated substantially over their entire surfaces with a conductivecoating. Typically, the second surface (the rear surface of the frontsubstrate) is coated with a transparent electrically conductive coating,such as an indium tin oxide (ITO), while the third surface (the frontsurface of the rear substrate) is coated with a transparent electricallyconductive coating, and is further coated with a metallic reflectiveconductive coating over the transparent coating. When it is desired toform a window in the metallic reflective conductive coating on the thirdsurface, it is desirable that the window on the third surface still havethe transparent electrically conductive coating over its surface area,in order to provide for appropriate darkening or coloring of theelectrochromic medium at the window area. If the transparentelectrically conductive coating is also removed from the third surfacein the window area, the electrochromic medium may not darken or coloruniformly across the reflective element assembly, particularly in thewindow area versus the rest of the reflective element assembly. However,it may be difficult to laser ablate or etch only the metallic reflectivecoating from the third surface while leaving the transparentelectrically conductive coating intact on the surface of the substrateat the window area. Such precise control of the depth of the ablation oretching may be difficult to achieve.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved process formanufacturing electro-optic mirror reflective element assemblies, suchas electrochromic mirror reflective element assemblies, that overcomesthe shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of making automotiveelectrochromic reflective cell element assemblies for automotiverearview mirror assemblies by first forming multiple interpane cavitieson one or two sheets of glass and, thereafter, after the multipleelectrochromic cell cavities have been formed, cutting out individualelectrochromic mirror cells that are shaped appropriate for utilizationin a complete automotive electrochromic rearview mirror assembly, suchas the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,595,649; 6,648,477;6,154,306; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; and/or 5,253,109, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. Typically, the material for thesubstrates is glass, such as soda-lime glass or the like, but othermaterials, such as polycarbonate or other polymeric materials may beutilized without affecting the scope of the present invention. Thecompleted mirror cells or reflective element assemblies include a frontsubstrate and a rear substrate. The rear substrate may have a reflectivecoating on its front surface (toward the front substrate when thesubstrates are sandwiched together, and typically referred to as thethird surface of the mirror reflective element assembly), while thefront substrate may have a transparent semiconductive coating, such as acoating of indium tin oxide (ITO) or doped indium tin oxide or the like,on its rear surface (toward the rear substrate when the substrates aresandwiched together, and typically referred to as the second surface ofthe mirror reflective element assembly).

The method of making or forming the reflective element assembliesincludes providing a sheet of clear glass (sized to be greater than atleast two intended mirror shapes) that will form the rear or secondsubstrate of the mirror element cell (the rear substrate has thereflective conductive coating on its front surface, which will be thethird surface of the reflective element assembly when it is assembled),and cleaning and coating (with a metallic electrically conductive layeror layers, such as silver, silver alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, orthe like, such as described below) the surface of the sheet. The coatingmay be selectively removed from the surface of the sheet in the outlineshapes of at least two desired mirror substrates, and more preferablymultiple, such as four or six or more, substrates. Uncured adhesivematerial, such as an uncured epoxy material may be applied to thesurface of the sheet along the removed outlines to form the desiredmirror shapes. The front cut shape or substrate or sheet is superimposedupon the rear sheet and spaced therefrom by the applied uncuredmaterial. The uncured adhesive material is then cured, such as byheating, to adhere the shapes or substrates together and to space theglass sheets apart a desired amount to define multiple appropriateinterpane cavities or spacings. The sheets, so adhered together andinterspaced apart, form multiple empty cells with interpane cavitiesbetween the rear sheet and the front sheet or substrates and bounded bythe perimeter seal. An electrolyte or monomer composition is then filledinto the cavities via a respective aperture provided in the perimetermaterial or seal, such as via a vacuum fill process. The sheets may thenbe scribed and cut or broken to separate the individual shapes or cellsfrom the sheets. Alternately, and optionally, the sheets may be scribedand cut or broken to form multiple empty cells prior to the fillingprocess, whereby each individual shape or cell is filled after it is cutor separated from the sheets.

Optionally, a single front sheet (that may eventually form at least twofront substrates, and more preferably multiple, such as four or six ormore, substrates) may be adhered to the rear sheet. The front sheet maybe coated on its opposing surface (the surface that opposes the rearsheet when the sheets are sandwiched together) with a transparentelectrically conductive or semiconductive layer or coating, such as anindium tin oxide (ITO) or the like. The front mirror shapes orsubstrates may be scribed and broken and/or cut from the front sheet toform the cells after the sheets have been adhered together as describedabove. Optionally, the front substrates (with the transparentsemi-conductive layer or coating applied to the surface thereof) may bepre-cut or formed and the individual coated mirror shapes or substratesmay be applied to the appropriate locations at the epoxy seals on therear sheet. The rear sheet may then be scribed and broken and/or cut toform the mirror cells.

The sheet or sheets thus may form at least two reflective elementassemblies or cells. Because the sheet is large enough to have two ormore mirror shapes defined thereon, the sheet may be handled along itsedges by the conveyor and/or operators and, thus, may be handled in anarea that is outside of the pristine cell surfaces within the epoxyseals/mirror shapes. The handling or conveying of the sheet thus doesnot encroach the pristine surfaces and thus does not damage or harm thepristine surfaces during the manufacturing and assembling of the cells.The method of the present invention thus provides an enhancedmanufacturing process that limits or substantially precludes touching orharming of the pristine surfaces of the mirror shapes during thecleaning, coating, conveying and adhering processes. Also, because thesheets are larger than the individual substrates, economies in thecoating process may be realized, since multiple mirror shapes may becoated during one coating process and without individual fixturing ofthe mirror shapes.

The present invention also provides a means for masking a substrateduring the coating process to provide a window in the metallicreflective coating on a third surface of a reflective element assembly.The mask may be retained in the appropriate position via magneticattraction to a magnetic element on a substrate holding fixture, or maybe held by a bridge or arm attached to and extending from the substrateholding fixture. Optionally, the mask fixture may comprise a bridge thatis attached at opposite ends to the substrate holding fixture to providea robust, substantially stable mask holding device. Optionally, the maskmay be biased, such as by a resilient member or spring, to affirmativelyengage the surface of the glass substrate that is positioned at themask, such that the mask is urged into engagement with the surface ofthe substrate to provide a generally flush engagement of the mask to thesubstrate at the desired location, and thus to avoid accumulation of anydeposited coating at the region of the substrate mask. The mask thus maybe retained in the desired location when the substrates are placed in aholding fixture and then placed in a deposition chamber, such as avacuum deposition chamber, such as for a sputter deposition process orthe like, to have the coating applied to or deposited on the surface ofthe substrate.

The present invention also provides reflective element assembly having afront substrate and a rear substrate and an electro-optic mediumdisposed therebetween. The front substrate has first and secondsurfaces, with a transparent electrically conductive coating on itssecond surface (that opposes the electro-optic medium), while the rearsubstrate has third and fourth surfaces, with a metallic electricallyconductive coating on its third surface (that opposes the electro-opticmedium). The third surface electrically conductive coating wraps aroundor overcoats at least a portion of a perimeter edge of the rearsubstrate so as to establish electrical continuity between theelectrically conductive coating on the third surface and theelectrically conductive coating on the perimeter edge portion. A fourthsurface electrically conductive coating may be established on the fourthsurface of the rear substrate and may wrap around or overcoat theportion of the perimeter edge of the rear substrate so as to establishelectrical continuity between the electrical conductive coating on thefourth surface and the perimeter edge portion. The portions of the thirdand fourth surface electrically conductive coatings that wraparound orovercoat the perimeter edge portion may coincide or overlap one another(such as at an overlap region) to establish electrical continuitybetween the fourth surface and the third surface electrically conductivecoatings. Thus, an electrical connection may be made at the fourthsurface of the reflective element assembly to power or energize thethird surface electrically conductive coating at the third surface ofthe reflective element. Such a configuration provides a convenient androbust attachment pad or area for electrical connection (as compared toattachment to the perimeter edge portion, which is thin, such as about1.6 mm or less and does not provide a lot of space for electricalconnection thereto), so that a convenient and secure connection may bemade to the secure conductive pad or area (disposed at the fourthsurface of the reflective element assembly), such as via a solderattachment and/or a mechanical attachment or the like.

The present invention may also provide an insulating layer or element atthe second surface transparent electrically conductive coating at thesecond surface of the front substrate to electrically insulate orisolate the second surface electrically conductive coating from thewraparound portion and/or overlap electrically conductive coatings atthe perimeter edge of the rear substrate. Preferably, the rear substratehas a smaller dimension than the front substrate so that the edgeportion of the rear substrate is recessed from a corresponding edgeportion of the perimeter edge of the front substrate and so as to definean overhang region along the edge portion of the reflective elementassembly, such as where the wraparound or overlap coatings are disposed.Optionally, the second surface of the front substrate may include aperimeter band around its perimeter border. The perimeter band maycomprise a metallic reflective band or a non-reflective band, and may bedisposed over or under the transparent electrically conductive coatingat the second surface of the front substrate.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a reflective element assembly formed by aprocess in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sheet of glass suitable for use in theprocess of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet of glass of FIG. 2, with thereflective conductive coating removed to define the mirror shapes andlocating points;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sheet of glass of FIG. 3, with uncured sealmaterial applied around the mirror shapes;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the sheet of glass of FIG. 4, with adhesiveportions applied to the surface of the sheet;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a sandwich of sheets, with a front sheet ofglass adhered to the sheet of glass of FIG. 6 and the mirror shapes forthe front and rear mirror substrates scribed on the respective sheets;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another sandwich of sheets, showing differentmirror shapes scribed thereon;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of another sandwich of sheets, showing the fillopenings for filling the cells with the electrochromic medium;

FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to FIG. 8, showing alternate fillopenings;

FIG. 10 is a plan view similar to FIG. 8, showing alternate fillopenings;

FIG. 11 is a plan view similar to FIG. 8, showing alternate fillopenings;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of an assembly line layout suitable forperforming the manufacturing process of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a washer portion of the assembly line layoutof FIG. 12;

FIG. 14A is a side elevation and sectional view of the washer of FIG.13;

FIG. 14B is an end elevation of a conveyor useful in the process of thepresent invention;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a coater portion of the assembly line layoutof FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of an assembly portion of the assembly linelayout of FIG. 12;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a breakout line of the assembly line layout ofFIG. 12;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a final assembly portion of the assembly linelayout of FIG. 12;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a third surface reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a substrate holding fixture for holdingone or more substrates during a coating or deposition process, showingvarious masking devices in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a side elevation of a magnetic masking device in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation of another masking device in accordance withthe present invention, with the mask attached to an end of a mountingarm;

FIG. 23 is a side elevation of another masking device in accordance withthe present invention, with the mask supported by a bridge extendingover the substrate;

FIG. 24 is a side elevation of the masking device of FIG. 23, showingthe masking device in its extended orientation when the substrate isremoved from the fixture;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of another mirror reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view of another mirror reflective elementassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a plan view of the rear substrate of the mirror reflectiveelement assembly of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the front and rear substrates ofanother reflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view of a reflective element assembly formed bythe substrates of FIG. 28, as shown in an exterior rearview mirrorassembly;

FIG. 30 is a sectional view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.29, as shown in an interior rearview mirror assembly;

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the front and rear substrates ofanother reflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a block diagram of a process for manufacturing a reflectiveelement assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a substrate with a wraparound coatingalong an edge of the substrate in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a sectional view of the substrate of FIG. 37;

FIG. 39 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a sectional view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.39, with an overcoating on the edges and rear surface of the rearsubstrate;

FIG. 41 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a sectional view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.41, with a conductive epoxy disposed at an overcoated edge;

FIG. 43 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a sectional view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.43, with a conductive epoxy disposed at an uncoated edge;

FIG. 45 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 46 is a sectional view of the reflective element assembly of FIG.45, with a conductive epoxy and insulation layer disposed at one or moreof the edges of the rear substrate;

FIG. 47 is a sectional view of a masking fixture for use in coating thethird surface and at least part of at least one edge of the rearsubstrate of a reflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 48 is a sectional view of a masking fixture for use in coating thesecond surface of the front substrate of a reflective element assemblyof the present invention;

FIG. 49 is a front elevation of a reflective element substrate of thepresent invention;

FIG. 50 is a sectional view of the substrate taken along the line L-L inFIG. 49;

FIG. 51 is a process diagram of a process suitable for manufacturing areflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a process diagram of a process suitable for manufacturing areflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 53 is a process diagram of a process suitable for manufacturing areflective element assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 54 is a perspective view of a substrate with a fourth surfacecoating in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 55 is a sectional view of the substrate of FIG. 54;

FIG. 56 is a sectional view of another reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 57 is a front elevation of another reflective element of thepresent invention, with a compass display formed thereon;

FIG. 58 is a process diagram of a method for coating and cutting frontsubstrate shapes useful with the reflective element assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 59 is a forward facing elevation of an exterior rearview mirrorassembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 60 is a forward facing elevation of another exterior rearviewmirror assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 61 is a forward facing elevation of another exterior rearviewmirror assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 62 is a forward facing elevation of another exterior rearviewmirror assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 63 is a side elevation schematic view of an interactive automotiverear vision system of the present invention;

FIG. 64 is a schematic showing user interaction with a touch sensitiveelement;

FIG. 65 depicts a cross-sectional view of another electrochromic mirrorconstruction according to the present invention, wherein, in thisconstruction, a secondary weather barrier 1112 has been applied to thejoint at which sealing means 1105 joins substrates 1102, 1103;

FIGS. 66A, 66B and 66C depict the orientation of the substrates indifferent constructions of the electrochromic mirrors and electrochromicdevices of the present invention, with FIG. 66A depicting aperpendicular displacement of the first substrate and the secondsubstrate, FIG. 66B depicting a lateral displacement and a perpendiculardisplacement of the first substrate and the second substrate, and FIG.66C depicting an arrangement of the first substrate and the secondsubstrate, wherein the dimensions of the length and width of the firstsubstrate are slightly greater than those of the second substrate,wherein, in this arrangement, the peripheral edge of the first substrateextends beyond the peripheral edge of the second substrate;

FIGS. 67A and 67B depict cross-sectional views of electrochromicdevices, which illustrate different seal constructions that may beemployed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 68 depicts a perspective view of a multi-radius electrochromicmirror according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a mirror reflective element assembly or cell 10 for an interioror exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a first orfront substrate or glass element 12 and a second or rear substrate orglass element 14 (FIG. 1). The rear reflective element substrate 14 isspaced from front reflective element substrate 12, and the cell includesan electrolyte or monomer composition or electrochromic medium 16 andconductive or semi-conductive layers 18, 20 (described below) sandwichedtherebetween. An epoxy seal material 22 or the like, is applied betweenthe substrates to define the cavity for the electrochromic medium and toadhere the substrates together. The substrates may be adhered togetherwhile in a sheet form with other substrates or mirror shapes, asdiscussed below.

The present invention provides a process that adheres the mirror shapestogether with the epoxy seal before the front and/or rear substrates orshapes are cut from a sheet of glass. This approach reduces thelikelihood of rollers and/or debris or the like contacting and/ordamaging the pristine surfaces of the substrates during the cleaning,coating, conveying and assembling processes of the reflective elementassemblies. The approach or method of the present invention solves theabove problems by reducing or substantially eliminating contact to thepristine or active electrochromic area of the mirror shapes orsubstrates. At any step in the process where contact is made to theglass surface (such as to hold the glass during cleaning or the like),it is done so by holding the glass along the edges of the glass awayfrom the active EC areas (the areas that will contact the electrochromicmedium within the cell or interpane cavity after the reflective elementassemblies are assembled together and filled, as discussed below). Thepresent invention thus provides minimum contact to the active EC areaand minimum contact to the seal area during manufacturing of thereflective element assemblies. The glass sheet (or other polymericmaterial or the like as desired and depending on the particularapplication) is held along the edges (such as during washing) such thatthe active EC surfaces and primary seal bond-lines of the intendedmirror shapes remain clean and untouched. Also, the present inventionallows for different mirror sizes, shapes and/or designs to bemanufactured on the same assembly line at the same time, as discussedbelow, because the fixturing/holding of the sheets and the initialassembly processes of the present invention are independent of themirror size/shape/design.

As discussed above, the rearview mirror reflective element assembly ofthe present invention comprises an electro-optic or electrochromicreflective element assembly or cell, such as an electrochromic mirrorreflective element assembly with coated substrates that are coatedutilizing principles disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos.6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 5,567,360;5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012;5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407; and/or 4,712,879, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference, and/or as disclosed in thefollowing publications: N. R. Lynam, “Electrochromic AutomotiveDay/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987); N. R.Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications ofChromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devicesfor Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS.,Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein, and/or in International Publication Nos. WO2004/026633 and/or WO 2004/042457, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

As shown in FIG. 1, the completed or assembled mirror reflective elementassembly or cell 10 includes front reflective element substrate 12 andrear reflective element substrate 14 with electrochromic medium 16sandwiched therebetween. The front reflective element substrate 12 has afront surface 12 a (the first surface of the electrochromic cell) and arear surface 12 b (the second surface of the electrochromic cell). Therear or second surface 12 b may include one or more transparentelectrically conductive layers (such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer,or a doped indium tin oxide layer or any other transparent electricallysemi-conductive layer or coating or the like (such as indium ceriumoxide (ICO), indium tungsten oxide (IWO), or indium oxide (IO) layers orthe like or a zinc oxide layer or coating, or a zinc oxide coating orthe like doped with aluminum or other metallic materials, such as silveror gold or the like, or other oxides doped with a suitable metallicmaterial or the like, or such as disclosed in International PublicationNo. WO 2004/026633, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference)thereon. The coated rear surface 12 b defines the active EC area 12 c ofthe front substrate within the perimeter seal 22.

The rear reflective element substrate 14 includes a front surface 14 a(the third surface of the electrochromic cell) and a rear surface 14 b(the fourth surface of the electrochromic cell). The front or thirdsurface 14 a may include one or more transparent semi-conductive layers(such as an ITO layer or the like), and/or one or more metallicelectrically conductive layers (such as a layer of silver, aluminum,chromium or the like or an alloy thereof), and may include multiplelayers such as disclosed in International Publication No. WO2004/026633, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Thereflective element assembly 10 thus may comprise a third surfacetransflective element assembly or cell, whereby the reflective layer orsurface is disposed at the third surface of the cell or at the frontsurface of the rear reflective element substrate for viewing by a driverof the vehicle. The third surface 14 a defines the active EC area orsurface 14 c of the rear substrate within the perimeter seal 22. Thecoated third surface 14 a may also be coated to define a tab-out region14 d for providing electrical connection of the conductive layers 20 toan electrical clip of connector or bus-bar, such as the types describedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,112 and 6,449,082, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Although shown as having offset edges, the cellsmanufactured by the process of the present invention may have generallyor substantially flush edges, such as of the types of cells described inInternational Publication No. WO 2004/042457, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference, or may have other forms or shapes,such as the mirror shapes described in PCT Publication No. WO 03/095269,published on Nov. 20, 2003, and/or shown in U.S. Design patentapplication Ser. No. 29/176,002, filed Feb. 14, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No.D493,131; and/or Ser. No. 29/176,026, filed Feb. 14, 2003, now U.S. Pat.No. D493,394, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The method of the present invention provides an enhanced assemblyprocess for manufacturing an electrochromic mirror reflective elementcell assembly, such as the type shown in FIG. 1 and described above. Themethod or process cleans and coats a large sheet of glass (such as sodalime glass or other material, such as polycarbonate or the like) andadheres coated sheets of glass together (or adheres coated substrates toa sheet of multiple mirror shapes) before the shapes or substrates orcells are scribed and broken out or cut from the sheet or sheets, asdiscussed in detail below. The method or process may be carried out bythe equipment and in a facility of the types shown in FIGS. 12-18, andas also discussed below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the process of the present inventioncleans and coats a large sheet of glass that will eventually be cut orbroken into the individual rear shapes or substrates of theelectrochromic cell. The process may receive a pre-coated sheet for thefront substrates and may clean the pre-coated sheet prior to assemblingthe sheets together. The mirror manufacturer thus may purchase thepre-coated front sheet (which may be coated with a thin layer of indiumtin oxide or the like, as discussed below) from a coating facility andmay use the pre-coated sheet with the coated rear sheet to form thereflective element assembly. Optionally, the mirror manufacturer maypurchase pre-coated and pre-cut front substrates or shapes for use withthe large sheet of glass (for the rear shapes or substrates) to formmultiple mirror shapes or cells or interpane cavities. In the embodimentdiscussed below, the glass sheet 30 is the rear sheet, such as for atransflective third surface reflective element assembly, while the frontsheet or shapes or substrates may be provided in a pre-coated form.However, aspects of the process of the present invention may be equallysuitable for use on a glass sheet to form the front substrates, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a sheet of glass 30 may be provided. The sheetmay comprise, for example, approximately a 30 cm by approximately 36 cmsheet (or may have other dimensions as desired for the particularapplication). The sheet is dimensioned to accommodate a plurality ofdesired mirror shapes. The material may comprise soda lime glass orother type of glass or other material as desired, such as polycarbonatematerial or the like, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The glass sheet may be substantially self-supporting as it isheld at its edges, and preferably has a thickness of at leastapproximately 1.6 mm, but may comprise a thinner material, such as asheet having a thickness of approximately 1.3 mm or thereabouts orhaving other thicknesses as desired and depending on the particularapplication.

The sheet of glass may be conveyed along a conveyor 32 (FIGS. 14A and14B) through a washing device or process 34 (FIGS. 12 and 14A). Forexample, the glass sheets may be provided at a beginning area orreceiving station 36 of the system, such as in a crate or the like, andmay be inspected and prepared for use at an inspection station 38. Theinspected and approved glass may then be loaded onto the conveyor 32 viaan automated robot 40 a (or via a manual operation if desired). Theconveyor 32 then conveys the glass through the washer 34.

The conveyor conveys the glass through the washer and pinches the edgesof the glass sheet to hold the glass sheet during the washing/scrubbingprocess. The conveyor may only pinch the glass sheet at the edges, andmay support the underside of the glass sheet via a support roller orbelt or the like. Optionally, and preferably, there are rollerscontacting the under surface of the glass sheets, while the frontsurface (the surface that has the pristine surfaces) is only contactedat the edges, typically by a pinching action or the like. As shown inFIG. 14B, conveyor 32 may include a plurality of lower support rollers32 a and upper guide rollers 32 b for conveying the glass sheet 30 alongthe conveyor and for holding the glass sheet 30 in place on the supportrollers 32 a during the washing or scrubbing system or processes 34. Ascan be seen in FIG. 14B, the lower support rollers 32 a may include anarrowed region for receiving the sheet, such that the sheet may besupported within the narrowed region as it is conveyed therealong. Theupper guide rollers 32 b overlap only the edges 30 b of the sheet 30 topinch and hold the sheet within the narrowed region of the supportrollers 32 a. The glass sheet 30 is thus held in place on the supportrollers as it is conveyed along the conveyor. Optionally, the conveyormay only support the sheet along its edges, whereby the sheet may beself-supporting between the edges.

The glass sheet 30 is placed on the conveyor with its pristine surface30 a facing upwards. The term “pristine surface” is used herein todescribe the surface of the sheet of glass that will be the coatedactive EC area of the assembled mirror reflective element or cell afterthe cell is adhered together and filled. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 14B,the upper guide rollers 32 b may engage the outer edges 30 b of thesheet 30 as it is conveyed along the conveyor. The amount of engagementor overlap or touching may vary depending on the application. Becausethe upper guide rollers 32 b only overlap the outer edges 30 b of thesheet 30, the guide rollers do not encroach the pristine surface 30 a ofthe glass sheet during conveyance of the sheet.

The conveyor 32 is operable to convey the sheets of glass through thewasher 34 (FIGS. 12 and 14A), where the upper surface within upper guiderollers is scrubbed and cleaned to clean the pristine surface 30 a ofthe sheet prior to the coating process. The washer scrubs and washes thepristine surface with scrubbers or brushes 34 a and blowers 34 b. Tofurther minimize contact with the pristine surface, the washer 34 mayinclude air knives 34 c to blow excess water or fluid from the pristinesurface, rather than using a squeegee or the like as in conventionalwashing processes.

After the glass exits the washer 34, the glass is unloaded by anautomated or computer controlled robot or robotic arm or the like 40 b(or manual process if desired) and moved onto a carrier 44 of thecoating device or system 42. The carrier 44 may be moved to the coatingarea 42 a, where the pristine surface 30 a of the sheet will be coated(and may be coated with more than one layer or coating, as describedbelow). The glass sheet is then coated at the coating area 42 a viavacuum deposition of the desired coating or coatings on the surface 30a, such as via sputter coating or the like. Preferably, the glass sheet30 may be positioned on a carrier 44 that may support the sheet at anegative angle with respect to the coating target (which will be hitwith ions during the sputter coating process, as is known in the coatingarts), such that the coating target may be positioned at least partiallybeneath the carrier and sheet. The carrier 44 may support the sheetalong the edges 30 b, and does not touch the pristine surface 30 a. Theglass sheet 30 thus may be coated on the surface 30 a where the glasssheet was not touched by the conveyor and where it is not touched by thecarrier. The sheet 30 may then be unloaded from the coater 42, such asvia an automated or computer controlled robot or robotic arm 40 c or thelike, and moved to the assembly line 46, discussed below.

The coating process of the present invention thus provides for enhancedcoating of large sheets, where the large sheets are held on the edgesand the large surface to be coated is not touched. The coating processis thus an economical process that is easy for coating systems toaccomplish. The mirror reflective element assemblies or electrochromiccells that are formed from the sheets may comprise third surfacereflective element assemblies, where the front surface of the rearsubstrate (commonly referred to as the third surface of the reflectiveelement assembly or cell) has a reflective and conductive metalliccoating or layer or layers, such as a silver or aluminum or chromium orrhodium or other metallic materials or alloys thereof, and one or morenon-metallic semi-conductive layers, such as an ITO layer or the like.The glass sheet that may form the rear substrates thus may have coatingsand/or layers of a metallic electrically conductive layer, such as athin film or layer of metal, such as silver, aluminum, silver alloys,aluminum alloys (such as 6061 or 1100 aluminum alloys or the like),manganese, chromium or rhodium, or any other metallic material which issufficiently reflective and/or transmissive at a selected thickness, andmay have one or more other layers of non-metallic layers, such as one ormore layers of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium tungsten oxide (IWO),indium cerium oxide (ICO), indium oxide (10) or the like, disposedthereon or applied thereto, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,690,268; 5,668,663 and 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381,and/or in International Publication No. WO 2004/026633, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, the sheet may be masked prior to coating or may be masked bythe carrier to define the regions of the sheet that are not to be coatedduring the coating process. The maskings define the mirror shapes forthe mirror reflective element assemblies that are to be made from thesheet. The mask may also mask and define register marks or locatingmarks or fiducial marks on the sheet that will not be coated and willserve to provide locating marks to a vision system to provideaccurate/precise location of the sheet for later processing, asdiscussed below.

Alternately, and optionally and desirably, substantially the entiresurface 30 a of the sheet may be coated (except at the perimeter areaswhere it may contact and be supported and/or held by the carrier) and,after the sheet is coated, the sheet 30 may be removed from the coatingchamber and moved to a processing station 48 that is operable to removesome of the coating, such as by laser etching or ablating, chemicaletching, sandblasting or the like, to define the mirror shapes 50 and/orlocating marks 52 on the surface of the sheet 30. This process isdesirable to allow enhanced changeover from one mirror shape or designto another on different sheets. The different shapes may be programmedinto the laser etching machine and different shapes may be defined onthe same sheet or different shapes may be defined from one sheet to thenext without requiring different fixturing or the like of the sheet andshapes. Optionally, the laser or another laser or removal device may beimplemented to remove the coating at desired areas to create windows fordisplays or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet 30 may be coated on its surface 30 a, andmay have the coating removed (or masked during the coating process) atdesired regions to define the mirror shapes 50 and index markings orlocating points or fiducial points 52 (discussed below). As can also beseen in FIG. 3, the masked or removed patterns may provide a tab-outregion 51 for one or more of the rear substrates that are to be formedfrom the sheet 30. Optionally, however, the masked or removed patternsmay not provide a tab-out region, and may optionally provide a thinisolating line (rather than the thick shape outline shown in FIG. 3)around or partially around the desired mirror shape and toward an outeredge of the desired mirror shape to isolate a portion or perimeterportion of the conductive material to define a rear mirror shape orsubstrate of the type described below with respect to FIG. 19. The thinisolating line may be formed by removing the layer of metallic coatingor material, while not removing an underlying layer of conductiveenvironmentally stable material (that may be deposited or applied to thesurface 30 a before the metallic coating or layer) beneath the metalliccoating or coatings, as discussed below.

After the coating and laser etching (if applicable) processes, the glasssheet 30 is then conveyed or moved to a dispensing process or dispenser54, where an uncured adhesive material 56, such as an epoxy sealmaterial, may be dispensed onto the pristine coated surface 30 a. Thesheet may be positioned at an appropriate location in response to acomputer aided camera or vision or imaging system detecting the registermarks and the conveyor or automated or computer controlled robot orrobotic arm or the like positioning the sheet to align the registermarks with a predetermined location. The fixturing and dispensingmachine may find the register marks and may dispense the uncured sealmaterial 56 in the desired location and shape based on the marks. Theuncured seal material (and spacer beads or the like, such as glass beadsor the like, as is known in the mirror art) thus may be dispensed ontothe sheet to define the desired mirror shapes, as shown in FIG. 4. Theseal material 56, when cured, forms the cavity boundary for a pluralityof cells or mirror shapes.

The sheet may be selected to be of sufficient size to allow for two orthree or four or more mirror shapes to be formed therefrom, depending onthe particular application. The seal material may be dispensed onto thesurface depending on the masking or laser deletion pattern or shape andmay be programmed and changed as desired and in conjunction with theprogrammed pattern of the masked or laser deleted shapes. The sealmaterial may be dispensed in the desired shape or pattern one shape at atime or two shapes at a time or more, depending on the cycle time of thedispensing machine and on the particular application.

While the seal material mirror shapes are dispensed or after the sealmaterial mirror shapes are dispensed, a plurality of portions ofadhesive 58 (FIG. 5), such as drops or spots or segments of a UV curableadhesive or the like, may be applied on the surface of the sheet (suchas by an adhesive dispenser 58 a (FIG. 16)) at areas outside of the sealmaterial mirror shapes 50. The portions may be dispensed or applied bythe same dispensing machine or by another dispenser, without affectingthe scope of the present invention. The UV curable adhesive portions maybe quickly cured via exposure to UV light or via heat to adhesivelysecure the sheets together, as described below. The UV curable adhesivemay serve to hold the sheets together until the epoxy seals are cured.

After the seal material 56 and adhesive drops 58 are dispensed onto thesurface 30 a of sheet 30, the sheet is conveyed to a coupling station60, where the front glass sheet or substrates are positioned at andplaced onto the rear sheet 30, such as via an automated or computercontrolled robot or robotic arm 40 d or the like. The front sheet orsubstrates may be processed in a similar manner as described above forrear sheet 30, or may be supplied to the mirror manufacturer aspre-coated sheets or pre-coated and pre-cut substrates, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. The front sheet orsubstrates are cleaned and washed (such as at a washer 62 in FIGS. 12and 16) prior to coupling the sheet or substrates with the rear sheet30, so that the pristine surface of the front sheet or substrate isclean and free of debris and the like when the cell is assembled.

The rear sheet 30 may be positioned at an appropriate location (such asvia the conveyor or an automated or computer controlled robot or roboticarm or the like) in response to identification/recognition (such as by acomputer aided camera vision or imaging system) of the register marks 52formed in the coated surface 30 a. The front sheet (with the ITO layeror the like applied to its surface) may be supplied to the couplingstation 60 from washer 62, such that the front sheet is cleaned justprior to the coupling of the sheets together. The clean front sheet isthen positioned relative to the rear sheet 30 and epoxy seals 56, andmay be pressed into engagement with the epoxy seals and UV curable gluedots. The sheets may be positioned relative to one another in responseto detection of the register marks on one or both sheets and/or by thedetection of the edges or other characteristics or physical attributesof the front sheet, such as by a computer aided camera vision or imagingsystem or the like. The automated robot 40 d may substantially uniformlypress the sheets together, whereby the epoxy seal material 56 providesthe appropriate spacing between the sheets and defines the cell cavity.The UV curable glue dots may be cured (such as by exposure to UV lightand/or heat or other means for curing the quick curing adhesive) whilethe sheets are pressed and held together at the desired spacing (asprovided by the spacer beads or the like in the epoxy seal), such thatthe sheets are held at the appropriate spacing. The assembled cells maythen be conveyed to a checking station 64 to check the seal width andinterpane cavity spacing and plug openings of the mirror shapes.

Optionally, the front shapes may be provided as pre-cut shapes that arealready coated and cut to the desired shape. The pre-cut and coatedshapes may be supplied to the coupling station from the washer, suchthat the front shapes are cleaned just prior to the coupling of theshapes to the rear sheet. The clean front shapes are then positioned,such as by an automated or computer controlled robot or robot arm or thelike, relative to the rear sheet and the respective epoxy seal, and maybe pressed into engagement with the respective uncured seal materialshape. The front shapes or substrates may be positioned relative to rearsheet in response to detection of the register marks on the rear sheetand the detection of the edges or other characteristics or physicalattributes of the front shapes, such as detection of flat portions oredges along the front shapes, such as by a computer aided camera visionor imaging system or the like. The automated robot may substantiallyuniformly press the front shapes and the rear sheet together, wherebythe uncured seal material provides the appropriate spacing between thefront shapes and rear sheet and defines the cell interpane cavities.

While the front shapes are pressed against the uncured seal material, aquick curing adhesive, such as UV curable adhesive or the like, may beapplied in portions around or partially around or spaced around theperimeter of the shape and between the front shape and the rear sheet(and outside the perimeter seal material), and may be quickly cured(such as by exposure to UV light following the application of theadhesive). The UV curable adhesive may be applied and cured to eachshape separately as the shape is juxtaposed and superimposed on therespective seal material of the rear sheet, or may be applied and curedafter the multiple shapes are juxtaposed and superimposed on therespective seal material shapes of the rear sheet. For example, the UVcurable adhesive may be applied in spots or dots around the perimeter ofa substrate, and a UV curing device may follow the adhesive dispenser orapplicator and may emit UV light soon or substantially immediately afterthe dots are applied to cure the UV curable adhesive and, thus, adherethe respective shape or substrate to the sheet. The sandwiched shapesand sheet may then be conveyed to the checking station to check the sealwidth and interpane cavity spacing and plug openings as described above.

The sandwich of sheets may then be moved to a curing oven or fixture 66,which cures the epoxy seal material in a known manner, such as heatcuring at approximately 150 degrees C. or via other processes. After theseal material is cured, the cured sandwich of sheets is moved to thescribing machine or system 68 (FIGS. 12 and 17), where the mirror shapesare scribed onto the sheets and the substrates/cells are broken outand/or cut from the sheets. More particularly, if the front substratesare provided in sheet form, the sandwich of sheets may be conveyed to afirst scriber 68 a that may scribe the front sheet in the shapes of thefront substrates. The sandwich of sheets may then be flipped over andthe rear sheet may be scribed by a scriber 68 b. Optionally, the rearscriber may be positioned beneath the conveyor to scribe the rear sheetfrom below, such that the sandwich need not be flipped during thescribing process. Alternately, if the front shapes are provided in theirpre-cut shape or substrate form, then only the rear sheet needs to bescribed and/or cut to cut/break the rear shapes from the rear sheet.

During the scribing process, the shapes of the front substrates may bescribed in the front sheet and around the seal portions to define thefront shapes 51 a (as shown in FIG. 6). The rear shapes 51 b of the rearsubstrates may be scribed in the rear sheet 30 and around the sealportions to define the rear substrates (as also shown in FIG. 6). Asshown in FIG. 7, the present invention allows for different shapedsubstrates and cells (shown as different front shapes 51 a, 51 a′, 51a″, 51 a′″ and different rear shapes 51 b, 51 b′, 51 b″, 51 b′″) to beformed from the same sheet or sandwich of sheets, without requiringdifferent fixturing or processing of the sheets. For example, the shapesof the substrates may be selected depending on the particular design orapplication, and may be selected to be any desired shape or form, suchas the shaped mirror substrates/cells described in PCT Publication No.WO 03/095269, published on Nov. 20, 2003, and/or shown in U.S. Designpatent application Ser. No. 29/176,002, filed Feb. 14, 2003, now U.S.Pat. No. D493,131; and/or Ser. No. 29/176,026, filed Feb. 14, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. D493,394, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. In order to form the different shaped substrates and cells,the masking or laser deletion process or program may be changed toprovide the different shapes, and the seal dispensing pattern or programmay be changed accordingly. The scribing process is then reprogrammed orreconfigured to match or correspond to the laser and seal patterns. Thedifferent shapes thus may be accomplished with little or no changeoverof handling equipment and fixturing. The present invention thus providesenhanced flexibility to the mirror manufacturing process.

After the shapes 51 a, 51 b are scribed in or on the respective sheets,the shapes may then be broken out at a cutting or nipping station 70(FIGS. 12 and 17) to form the plurality of cells. The empty cells maythen be filled, such as with an electrolyte or monomer composition, andplugged at a filling station 72 (such as a vacuum filling station) in aknown manner (or the sandwich of shapes or cells may be filled asdescribed below). The mirror cells may be loaded into the vacuum fillchamber and filled (such as via dipping the cells into an electrolyte ormonomer composition or electrochromic medium or via depositing orshooting the electrolyte or monomer composition or electrochromic mediumonto or at the fill opening of the vacuumed cell), and then removed andconveyed to a plugging station 74, where an operator may remove themirror cell, clean the end of the cell (that was dipped into theelectrolyte or monomer composition or electrochromic medium during thefilling process) and plug the fill hole with a plug, such as a UVcurable adhesive or glue or the like. After the hole is plugged, thecell is conveyed through a UV curing area 76 which may emit UV light orradiation or energy to cure the UV curable adhesive plug, and is thenconveyed to a cleaning station 78, where the cell is cleaned.

The clean cell may then receive an electrode clip, which may be glued tothe cell with a UV curable adhesive at a gluing station 80, and then maybe conveyed to a UV curing area 82 to cure the UV curable adhesive toadhere the clip to the cell. The cell may then be conveyed to asoldering station 84, where the wire harness may be soldered to theelectrode clip at the soldering station 84 in a known manner to completethe cell manufacturing. The tab-out area 51 and the electrode clips ofthe rear substrate may then be encapsulated via known means at a tab-outcoating/curing station 86.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 8-11, the empty cells of thesandwich of mirror shapes may be filled and plugged before the shapesare scribed and broken/cut from the sheets. For example, and as shown inFIG. 8, the seal material shapes 50′ (or a continuous seal dispensed todefine multiple mirror shapes) may extend toward an edge of the sandwichof sheets, such that the interpane cavities may be vacuumed through theopening 50 a′ in the seal material shapes and the edge 30 c of the sheetsandwich may be dipped into the electrolyte or monomer composition orelectrochromic medium up to a particular level (such as shown at 88 inFIG. 8), whereby the interpane cavities or cells draw the electrolyte ormonomer composition or electrochromic medium into the cavities to fillthe cavities. The sandwich sheet may then be removed from the fillingstation and the mirror shapes may be scribed and broken/cut from thesheets, such as in the manner described above. As can be seen in FIG. 8,the sandwich of sheets is preferably dipped into the electrolyte ormonomer composition or electrochromic medium to a level that is belowthe mirror shapes, such that when the mirror shapes are broken or cutfrom the sheets, the dipped portion (that may have residue thereon) isbroken from the shapes, such that the cleaning process for cleaning theresidue from the cells after filling may be obviated. As shown in FIG.9, the interpane cavities may be filled in a similar manner, but theseals 50″ may be individual seals without openings at an end thereof.Thus, a fill hole 90 may be drilled or otherwise formed through one ofthe sheets or otherwise provided at each cavity to vacuum and fill thecavities as described above. Similarly, and as shown in FIG. 10, theseals 50′″ may provide a small area for the fill hole to be formed at ornear the mirror shaped cavities. Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 11,the seals 50″″ may be formed to define the mirror shapes and may nothave an inlet portion formed at an end of the mirror shapes. Thus, afill hole 90′ may be provided, such as at a corner of the mirror shapes,to fill the cavities. In such an embodiment, the cells would requirecleaning to remove the residue from the mirror shapes.

Although shown and described as sandwiching a front sheet onto the rearsheet, optionally, the front substrates may be precut and coated andprovided at the adhering step as separate substrates. The individualsubstrates may be adhered to the respective epoxy seal material shapeson the sheet of rear substrates, as described above. Such an approachmay utilize an automated or computer controlled robot or robotic arm toplace the substrates onto the seal material shapes and to provide properlocation of the pre-cut front substrates on the rear sheet. The rearsheet may then be scribed and broken/cut after front substrates adheredto the sheet and after the epoxy seal material is cured. The scribingand curing processes may be substantially similar to those describedabove.

Also, although shown as being applied to reflective element assembliesfor interior rearview mirror assemblies, the process of the presentinvention is equally suited for exterior reflective element assemblies,and for flat substrates or convex or curved substrates or the like. Thefixturing and conveying processes are substantially the same for any ofthese applications and/or for different designs or shapes of interior orexterior applications, while the laser deletion (or masking) and sealdispensing may be reconfigured or adjusted to accommodate the differentmirror shapes for the different applications.

Therefore, the present invention provides an enhanced coating andconveying and handling process for use in manufacturing reflectiveelement assemblies or cells. The sheets of mirror shapes are onlyhandled on the edges and without encroaching the pristine surfaces ofthe mirror shapes, such that the pristine surfaces remain untouched andundamaged through the assembly process. Because the sheets are largeenough to allow for handling only at the edges and to provide multiplemirror shapes or cells, the present invention provides for enhanced andeconomical coating of the sheets. Also, because different shaped cellsor substrates may be formed from different sheets or from the samesheet, the present invention provides enhanced flexibility ofmanufacturing, since the different shapes may be provided with little orno changeover of fixtures or fixturing devices and/or the like. Theglass that will form the rear substrates of multiple cells may beprocessed as a sheet, while the front glass may be provided as a sheetor as pre-cut and pre-coated substrates that is/are adhered to the rearsheet at the appropriate location or locations.

The present invention thus provides a process that has minimum contactto the active EC area of the glass and minimum contact to the seal area.The process holds the glass along the edges during washing, so that theactive EC surface and primary seal bond-line remains clean. The processof the present invention may also avoid having a conductive coating onthe edge of the mirror shapes. The process also provides for cleaning,coating, and seal dispensing on the sheets, and is independent of themirror size, shape and/or design. Also, the process may not be assensitive to variations in the offset between the substrates as they aremated together. The process of the present invention may be implementedto coat substrates for various types of mirror reflective elements,including prismatic mirror elements. The coating process may also bemodified or adjusted, and may include masking of the surface areas beingcoated to configure the mirror reflective element for the particular ordesired applications, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 19, a mirror reflective elementassembly or cell 110 may include a front substrate 112 and a rearsubstrate 114. The front substrate 112 may be coated with a transparentsemi-conductive coating or layer 126, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO)layer or a fluorine or antimony doped tin oxide (FTO) layer or otherlayers or coatings as described herein, while the rear substrate 114 (orsheet that will form multiple substrates as described herein) may becoated with a conductive metallic layer or coating 122, which may becoated over a transparent electrically conductive coating or layer 124.

Optionally, the mirror assembly that may receive the reflective elementassembly or cell of the present invention may include electroniccomponents and/or circuitry, such as on a printed circuit board at therear of the reflective element assembly or otherwise positioned withinor at the mirror assembly. For example, the electronic components and/orcircuitry may include or be associated with display elements, such asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,329,925 and 6,501,387, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference, or such as a display on demand type ofdisplay, such as of the types disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No.7,195,381, and/or in International Publication No. WO 2004/026633, andU.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/412,275, filed Sep. 20, 2002;Ser. No. 60/424,116, filed Nov. 5, 2002; and Ser. No. 60/489,816, filedJul. 24, 2003, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.The display element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuumfluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) displayelement, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganiclight emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, aliquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element orthe like, and may be operable to display various information (asdiscrete characters, icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) tothe driver of the vehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint(PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirrorassembly and/or display may utilize aspects described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/956,749, filed Oct. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,446,924, and/or Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,338,177, and/or International Publication Nos. WO2004/026633; WO 2004/042457, and U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/490,111, filed Jul. 25, 2003; and Ser. No. 60/423,903, filed Nov. 5,2002; and/or International Publication No. WO 2004/058540, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference. The thicknesses and materialsof the coatings on the substrates, such as on the third surface of thereflective element assembly, may be selected to provide a desired coloror tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a blue coloredreflector, such as is known in the art and such as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,910,854 and 6,420,036, and in International Publication No.WO 2004/026633, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.Such display devices may transmit the display information orillumination through a transflective, third surface reflective elementassembly, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,663; 5,724,187; and6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, and/or in InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/026633, which are all hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

Although such transflective reflective element assemblies are capable oftransmitting the illumination or display information through theassembly, it is sometimes desirable to provide a window in the metallicreflective coating through which the display information or illuminationmay be transmitted. Typically, such windows in the reflective coating oftransflective reflective element assemblies are desirable for a glaresensor (such as a photo sensor or the like, such as a glare sensorand/or an ambient light sensor and electrochromic automatic dimmingcircuitry described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,690 and 5,193,029, and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference) or the like to be positioned at, in order to allowsubstantial transmission of light from the rear of the mirror assemblyor vehicle through the reflective element assembly to the glare sensorpositioned within the mirror assembly.

In such applications, and with reference to FIG. 19, a reflectiveelement assembly 110 includes a front substrate 112 and a rear substrate114, with an electrochromic medium 116 sandwiched between the substratesand a perimeter seal 118 positioned around the perimeter of theelectrochromic medium and between the substrates 112, 114. Rearsubstrate 114 of a reflective element assembly 110 may provide a displaywindow 120 formed in the metallic electrically conductive coating 122.The third surface 114 a of the rear substrate 114 has a transparentelectrically conductive layer or coating 124, such as an indium tinoxide (ITO) or indium oxide (10) or the like, which provides a surfaceresistivity of preferably less than approximately 300 ohms per square,more preferably less than approximately 100 ohms per square and mostpreferably less than approximately 50 ohms per square. As shown in FIG.19, the window 120 is formed through the reflective conductive layer122, but not through the layer or layers of transparent electricallyconductive coating 124 (such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium oxide(10), or the like) on the third surface 114 a of rear substrate 114. Ascan be seen in FIG. 19, the transparent electrically conductive coating124 may be applied over substantially the entire substrate surface 114 aincluding the window area 120, in order to provide proper andsubstantially uniform darkening or coloring of the electrochromic medium116 over the entire mirror region (including the window area) when themirror reflective element assembly is energized. A display device 128may be positioned behind the rear substrate 114 and may be viewablethrough the window 120 by a driver or occupant of the vehicle. Thedisplay device may comprise any type of display device or illuminationsource or the like, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The front substrate 112 also includes a transparentelectrically conductive coating 126 (FIG. 19) deposited thereon.

The window 120 in the metallic coating 122 may be formed by coating thesurface of the substrate with the transparent electrically conductivecoating and then masking the window area during deposition of themetallic coating over the transparent electrically conductive coating,as discussed below. Optionally, the window in the metallic coating maybe formed by coating the surface 114 a of the substrate 114 with atransparent electrically conductive coating and then masking the windowarea, and then removing the transparent electrically conductive coatingfrom the surface of the substrate (such as by ion beaming, laserablation, etching or the like) except at the masked area, and thendepositing the metallic coating over the glass surface except at themasked area, as also discussed below.

Typically, the substrate (or sheet of glass from which substrate shapeswill be cut or formed) may be purchased with the transparentelectrically conductive coating (such as indium tin oxide (ITO) or thelike, such as described above) already deposited on the surface thatwill be the third surface of the reflective element assembly. The areaof the substrate at which the window is to be formed may be maskedduring the process of depositing the metallic reflective coating on thetransparent electrically conductive coating. The masking device may bepositioned at a substrate holding fixture, which may hold one or moresubstrates (or which may hold a sheet from which multiple substrateshapes will be cut or formed as described above) during the coating ordeposition process. The metallic coating or layer may then be depositedover the unmasked surface or layers of the substrate, such as via avacuum deposition process, such as sputter deposition or the like. Themasking device of the present invention provides a fine edge definitionaround the window, as discussed below.

For example, and as shown in FIGS. 20-24, a holding fixture 130 mayinclude a plurality of openings or recesses 130 a for receiving aplurality of substrates 114 therein. The substrates 114 may have thetransparent electrically conductive coating (such as indium tin oxide(ITO), indium oxide (10) or the like as described above) deposited ontheir front surfaces 114 a. The substrates 114 may be placed into therecesses 130 a of holding fixture 130, such that the perimeter regions114 b of the front surfaces 114 a may rest against a tab or lip 130 b ofholding fixture 130 (as can be seen in FIGS. 21-24). The tab or lip 130b may provide a mask around the perimeter region to limit orsubstantially preclude deposition of the metallic layer at the perimeterregions 114 b (and/or onto the transparent electrically conductivecoating 124 applied to the substrate surface 114 a).

Holding fixture 130 includes a masking device 132 positioned at or overthe respective recesses for applying a mask at the appropriate area ofthe surface 114 a of the substrate 114 (and over the transparentelectrically conductive coating already applied to the substrate surface114 a) during the deposition process. More particularly, the maskingdevice 132 may provide a masking plate at a location remote from theperimeter edges of the substrate surface so as to form a window in themetallic coating after the metallic electrically conductive material isdeposited on the substrate surface. In the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 20, the holding fixture 130 is shown with different types ofmasking devices 132 (referenced individually at 134, 136, 138 anddiscussed in detail below) positioned at or over the respective recesses130 a. However, the holding fixture may typically have the same type ofmasking device at each recess or may have a single masking fixture overall of the recesses, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

The masking device 132 functions to position a masking plate at adesired area in a manner that is repeatable and that retains the maskingplate at the desired area during the coating process. Although shown inFIG. 20 and described below as being positioned at or near eachindividual substrate of a holding fixture for multiple substrates, it isenvisioned that a masking device of the present invention may functionto position multiple masking plates or members at or over multiplewindow locations on a sheet of glass that will be coated and then cutinto multiple substrate shapes (such as discussed above), withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. Optionally, for a curvedsubstrate having a curved surface, it is envisioned that the maskingelement may be correspondingly curved or may comprise a flexible orpliable material and may flex to conform to the surface being maskedwhen the masking element is positioned against the curved surface,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 20 and 21, the masking device 132 may comprise amagnetic masking device 134 having a masking plate 134 a, which maycomprise a metallic material or a magnetic material, and a positioningdevice or member 134 b. Positioning device 134 b may be secured to thefixture 130 and may extend at least partially over the rear surface 114c of the substrate 114 after the substrate 114 is positioned in therecess 130 a. Positioning device 134 b includes an arm or bar 134 c anda magnetic element 134 d attached to bar 134 c. Positioning device 134 bmay be releasably secured in place to the fixture 130 after thesubstrate is placed in the recess. Positioning device 134 b may bereleasably secured via any fastening or attaching means, such as viafasteners or the like being received in slots on the positioning deviceor the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Whenpositioning device 134 b is secured to fixture 130, magnetic element 134d is positioned generally at or against the rear surface 114 c ofsubstrate 114 and at a location that corresponds with the desiredlocation for the window that is to be formed on the front surface 114 aof the substrate 114 positioned in the respective recess 130 a offixture 130. The masking plate 134 a may then be placed at the desiredlocation on the front surface 114 a, and may be retained in position viamagnetic attraction between the masking plate 134 a and the magneticelement 134 d.

After the masking plate or element is positioned and retained in thedesired location, the holding fixture and substrate (or substrates orsheet of glass) may be placed in a coating chamber, such as a vacuumdeposition chamber or the like, preferably a sputter deposition chamber,and the metallic coating may be deposited over the front surface 114 aof the substrate (and over the transparent electrically conductivecoating or layer on the substrate surface 114 a) except in the area thatis masked by masking plate or element 134 a. Because the positioningdevice or member is substantially fixedly positioned at or attached tothe fixture 130, the magnetic element 134 d may be repeatedly positionedat substantially the same location for each substrate that is placedinto the respective recess of the holding fixture. The masking plate 134a thus may be placed on the surface 114 a of the substrate 114 and maybe held in the desired location by the magnetic element. Preferably, themasking plate or element may be placed at the desired location via anautomated device or robot or CNC or the like to enhance therepeatability and precision of the placement of the masking plate on thesubstrate surface. Also, because the masking plate is retained in placeagainst the substrate surface via the magnetic attraction of theelements, the masking plate provides a window with a fine edgedefinition around the edges of the window. Although shown and describedas being a magnetic positioning device and a metallic masking plate,clearly, the masking plate may comprise a metallic element or magneticelement and the positioning device may comprise a metallic element ormagnetic element to provide the desired magnetic attraction between theobjects, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 20 and 22, the masking device 132 may comprise amasking fixture or device 136 that includes a masking plate 136 aattached to an end of a mounting arm or positioning arm 136 b.Positioning arm 136 b may be secured to the substrate holding fixture130 (such as via a fastener 137 or the like) and may extend at leastpartially over the front surface 114 a of the substrate 114 when thesubstrate 114 is positioned in the recess 130 a. Positioning arm 136 bmay be formed or bent to extend upwardly or outwardly from the fixture130 and to curve over the substrate and down toward the substratesurface 114 a. The positioning arm 136 b may be bent or curved or formedoutward in this manner to position the arm at a desired or appropriatedistance away from the surface 114 a of substrate 114, such that the armwill not partially mask or shadow the substrate during the depositionprocess.

When the substrate 114 is positioned in the recess 130 a, masking plate136 a is thus positioned at the desired area of surface 114 a to maskthe window area of the substrate surface 114 a. The substrate holdingfixture 130 and the substrate or substrates or glass sheet may then beplaced in a coating chamber, such as a vacuum deposition chamber or thelike, such as a sputter deposition chamber, and the metallic coating maybe deposited over the front surface 114 a of the substrate except in thearea that is masked by masking plate 136 a. The positioning arm 136 bmay be formed of a thin wire or metallic material to minimize theshadowing effect of the arm over the substrate surface between thewindow area and the edge of the substrate at or near the mountinglocation of the arm to the substrate fixture. Optionally, and as shownin FIG. 20, a positioning arm 136 b′ of a masking device 136′ may extendacross the substrate recess of the fixture and may be secured to thefixture at both ends to form a bridge across the substrate for mountinga masking plate 136 a. Optionally, a positioning arm or bridge mayfunction to position two or more masking plates on one or moresubstrates positioned at the substrate holding fixture, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 20, 23 and 24, the maskingdevice 132 may comprise a masking bridge or device 138 that includes amasking plate 138 a attached to an arm 138 b extending downward (ortoward the substrate 114) from a mounting or positioning bridge 138 c.Positioning bridge 138 c may be secured at opposite ends to the fixture130 and may extend over the front surface 114 a of the substrate 114 (orover two or more substrates) when the substrate or substrates is/arepositioned in the recess or recesses 130 a. In the illustratedembodiment, the bridge extends generally transverse to the longitudinalaxis of the substrate, but could be otherwise positioned or orientedrelative to the substrate or glass sheet, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention.

Positioning bridge 138 c may be formed or bent to extend upwardly oroutwardly from the substrate holding fixture 130 at opposite sides ofthe recess 130 a and to extend over the substrate 114. The bridge 138 cis formed in this manner to position the upper portion of the bridge ata desired or appropriate distance away from the surface 114 a ofsubstrate 114, such that the bridge will not partially mask or shadowthe substrate during the deposition process. When the substrate 114 ispositioned in the recess 130 a, masking plate 138 a is positioned at thedesired area of surface 114 a to mask the window area of the substratesurface. The substrate holding fixture and substrates may then be placedin a coating chamber, such as a vacuum deposition chamber or the like,such as a sputter deposition chamber, and the metallic coating may bedeposited over the front surface 114 a of the substrate except in thearea that is masked by masking plate 138 a.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24, arm 138 b maycomprise a spring-loaded or biased arm having one arm portion 140 aattached to bridge 138 c and another arm portion 140 b attached tomasking plate 138 a, whereby arm portion 140 b is movably or adjustablyconnected to or attached to or engaged with arm portion 140 a. In theillustrated embodiment, the arm comprises a telescopic arm, with theouter arm portion 140 a being fixedly secured to bridge 138 c, and theinner arm portion 140 b being slidably or telescopingly extendable andretractable relative to outer arm portion 140 a. This allows the maskingplate 138 a to be initially positioned at a level generally below orbeyond the surface 114 a of substrate 114 (as shown in FIG. 24), suchthat when substrate 114 is placed in recess 130 a, substrate 114 maypress upward against masking plate 138 a and may urge masking plate 138a upward. Preferably, telescopic arm 138 b may be biased orspring-loaded toward its extended position (shown in FIG. 24), such asvia a biasing member or spring 142 or the like. Masking plate 138 a maythus be biased or urged or pressed downward against surface 114 a ofsubstrate 114 to maintain masking plate 138 a in substantially tightengagement with the surface of the substrate (as shown in FIG. 23). Thisprovides an enhanced engagement of the masking plate to the substratesurface to limit or substantially preclude seepage of the conductivemetallic material under the edges of the masking plate, which, in turn,may result in substantially straight and clean or crisp lines or fineedge definition of the edges of the metallic coating around the maskedwindow area.

The masking plate may have a length and a width and a longitudinal axisextending along its length dimension. Preferably, the arm or bridge ofthe masking device is positioned to extend upward from the masking plateand may curve to be generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe masking plate. Also, the width or thickness of the arm or bridge maybe selected to be less than approximately ⅕ of the length of the maskingplate, more preferably less than 1/10 of the length of the maskingplate, and the height of the arm may be greater than at leastapproximately ½ inch, preferably greater than approximately one inch andmore preferably greater than approximately 1½ inches, in order tominimize any shadowing effect that the arm or bridge may have on themetallic coating applied to the surface of the substrate around themasking plate.

The present invention thus provides a masking device that masks thedesired window area of a substrate for a third surface reflectiveelement assembly. The masking device may repeatedly mask the desiredareas when the substrate is placed in the holding fixture and may bereadily positioned at the appropriate location to enhance the highvolume manufacturing of the substrates and reflective elementassemblies. The masking plate may be affirmatively urged (by means suchas resilient spring-like action or force, or by magnetic forces or otherurging means) into substantially intimate contact with the surface beingmasked (and if the surface is convex or concave, the masking plate maybe urged to conform to the shape or curvature of the local area of thesubstrate being masked). The substrate holding fixture and the maskedsubstrate or substrates may then be placed in a vacuum depositionchamber or the like, such as a sputter deposition chamber, and themetallic electrically conductive layer or coating may be deposited onthe surface of the substrate or onto the transparent electricallyconductive layer on the substrate surface. After the metallic layer isdeposited on the substrate surface, the substrate has a conductive layeror layers over substantially its entire surface including the windowarea, which is coated by the transparent electrically conductive coatingor layer. The window area may have a fine edge definition around theedges of the window (which may be any desired shape, such as arectangle, circle, oval or the like) because the mask is retained in thedesired position during the coating process, such that particles of thecoating are not accumulated at the region of the substrate mask.

Although shown and described as masking a window area by placing amasking plate on the transparent electrically conductive layer of thesubstrate and applying the metallic coating over the transparentelectrically conductive layer except in the masked or window area, it isenvisioned that the masking device of the present invention may beapplied to the transparent electrically conductive layer as describedabove, and the transparent electrically conductive layer may then besubstantially removed from substantially the entire surface of thesubstrate except at the masked area. The transparent coating may beremoved from the substrate surface via ablating or etching the surface,or via ion beam bombardment or milling of the surface, without affectingthe scope of the present invention. The metallic electrically conductivelayer or coating may then be deposited directly on the glass surface ofthe substrate except at the masked area, such that the substrate hasdifferent but adjacent and preferably contacting conductive layers oversubstantially the entire substrate surface (e.g. a metallic electricallyconductive reflective coating over the surface except at the windowarea, which is coated with the transparent electrically conductivecoating or layer).

For example, the substrate surface may be initially coated with atransparent electrically conductive coating, such as a low cost tinoxide coating or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,420,036; 6,245,262; 6,154,306; and 5,724,187, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. For example, a mirror assemblymanufacturer may purchase tin oxide-coated glass substrates or sheets,such as sold by the LOF Glass division of Libbey-Owens-Ford Co., Toledo,Ohio under the trade name of “TEC-Glass” products, such as “TEC 10” (10ohms per square sheet resistance), “TEC 12” (12 ohms per square sheetresistance), “TEC 15” (15 ohms per square sheet resistance) and “TEC 20”(20 ohms per square sheet resistance) tin oxide-coated glass and thelike. Moreover, tin oxide coated glass substrates, such as commerciallyavailable from Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries, Pittsburgh, Pa. underthe “SUNGATE” trade name, may be advantageously employed herein.Typically, such tin oxide coatings may not be desired for a reflectiveelement having a metallic layer deposited on the low cost transparentcoating due to coloration concerns or yellowing when the coatings arecombined or layered. However, because the process of the presentinvention may remove the low cost transparent tin oxide coating or thelike from the surface of the substrate except in the window area, andmay then apply or deposit the metallic electrically conductive layerover the surface of the substrate except in the window area, there is nooverlapping of the metallic electrically conductive layer and the lowcost transparent electrically conductive coating, such that thecoloration concerns are substantially obviated.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 25, a mirror reflective elementassembly or cell 210 may include a front substrate 212 and a rearsubstrate 214. The front substrate 212 may be coated with a transparentsemi-conductive coating or layer 218, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO)layer or a fluorine or antimony doped tin oxide (FTO) layer or otherlayers or coatings as described above, while the rear substrate 214 (orsheet that will form multiple substrates as described above) may becoated with an environmentally stable or substantially non-corrosiveconductive layer 220 a (such as a layer of chrome or indium tin oxide(ITO) or fluorine or antimony doped tin oxide (FTO) or the like)deposited on the surface 214 a of the substrate 214 (which is the thirdsurface of the cell 210) and a conductive metallic layer or coating 220b. The conductive metallic coating 220 b (such as silver or otherreflective coating(s) or layer(s) as described above with respect tolayer/coating 20), may be applied or deposited over the environmentallystable layer 220 a, and may be removed, such as by laser deletion or thelike (or the sheet or substrate may be masked during the coating processof the conductive silver coating), to provide a separated or isolatedregion or band 221 a around at least a portion of the perimeter of thecoating of the particular substrate or mirror shape, such as via laserdeletion or ablation or etching or chemical etching or sandblasting orthe like, such as described above. The isolated region 221 a is thusisolated or physically separated from the main conductive surface or ECactive area 221 b of the rear substrate 214 by a deletion line orisolating line 223.

As shown in FIG. 25, the isolated perimeter area or areas 221 a of theconductive layer (which may be environmentally unstable and thussusceptible to corrosion) may extend outward from the epoxy seal 222when the cells are assembled. The isolating line or separating line 223between the outer portion 221 a of the conductive layer and the main ECactive surface 221 b of the third surface 214 a provides for corrosionisolation between the portions of the conductive layer, becausecorrosion that may occur at the outer regions 221 a of the metallic orenvironmentally unstable layer or layers cannot cross over the physicalbreak 223 in the conductive layer or layers 220 b.

The environmentally unstable layer 220 b (preferably a silver or silveralloy, highly reflective metal layer or the like) may be selectivelyremoved or ablated such that the environmentally stable conductive layer220 a (that is beneath the environmentally unstable layer 220 b andbetween the environmentally unstable layer 220 b and the substratesurface 214 a) is not removed or ablated from the substrate surface 214a. The laser ablation or laser deletion process thus only cuts orremoves a portion of the coatings on the substrate surface. After theenvironmentally unstable layer 220 b is removed along the deletion line223, the remaining environmentally stable layer is sufficient toconductively bridge the gap between the isolated region 221 a and the ECactive area 221 b of the environmentally unstable coating or layer 220b.

Accordingly, if the outer portion 221 a begins to corrode (such as mayoccur over time), the isolation line 223 limits or substantiallyprecludes spreading of the corrosion to the main surface or EC activesurface 221 b of the rear substrate 214. The EC active surface 221 bthus remains corrosion free. The environmentally stable surface 220 aserves to conductively bridge the isolation gap or line 223, such thatelectrical conductivity from the outer region 221 a (such as at atab-out portion or along a conductive rail or raceway along a perimeterportion of the substrate 214) to the main EC active surface 221 b is notbroken. Because the environmentally stable layer 220 a may not be ashighly conductive as the conductive silver layer 220 b or the like, theisolation lines 223 are selected to be small enough to avoid asignificant loss in conductivity to the EC active surface, yet largeenough to isolate the EC active surface layers from corrosion at theouter regions. For example, the gap may be dimensioned to beapproximately 0.1 mm to approximately 1 mm wide or thinner or wider asmay be desired depending on the particular application, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

The isolating line or gap 223 may extend substantially around theperimeter region of the cell where the non-conductive epoxy sealmaterial 222 may be applied (and which may fill in the isolating line orgap to insulate the outer perimeter region 221 a from the main EC activesurface 221 b, which coincides with the pristine surface). As shown inFIG. 25, the isolation line 223 may be positioned along at least aportion of the substrate and may be filled or partially filled by theseal material 222. Preferably, the isolation line is positioned towardthe outer perimeter region or edge of the seal material, but may bepositioned at the middle or inner regions of the seal material, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the isolating line or deletion line 223 may not extend fullyaround perimeter, but may be along a portion of the substrate to definean isolated island or region or regions at and along one or moreportions of the substrate. For example, the isolation line 223 may notbe provided in some areas or perimeter regions of the substrate, such asat the flush region 221 c where the seal 222 is substantially flush withthe perimeter edge of the substrate 214, or elsewhere around theperimeter of the substrate where such an isolation line may not beneeded or desired, depending on the particular application. As can beseen in FIG. 25, the coatings 220 a, 220 b may cover the substrate 214toward its perimeter edge or edges, while the seal material 222 may notextend as far toward the perimeter edge or edges, such that the edge orperimeter portion of the coatings 220 a, 220 b extends past the sealmaterial, such as shown at 221 c in FIG. 25. The seal material thus maynot extend to the cut line of the substrate, yet substantially or fullyfills the isolation line 223.

The isolating line or gap of the present invention thus limits orsubstantially precludes the spreading of corrosion into anelectrochromic cell by isolating the outer perimeter edges of theconductive metallic layer or coatings from the inner EC active areas ofthe coatings. The present invention thus obviates the need to mask theperimeter regions of the substrate (which is typically done to limitexposure of the outer edges of the metallic coatings except where may beneeded for electrical connection), and further obviates the need toprovide a tab-out region at an outer perimeter portion of the substrateand to encapsulate the tab-out or exposed region or edges of themetallic coatings. The conductive layers or coatings thus may bedeposited over the entire surface of the substrate, and do not have tobe substantially masked (or laser removed or the like) around theperimeter of the substrate or mirror shape. Rather, a thin line or gapmay be ablated or removed around or partially around the perimeter ofthe shape or substrate to isolate the outer perimeter portion orportions of the metal layers or coatings from the main portion of thelayers or coatings at the EC active surface of the shape or substrate.The isolation line or gap functions to corrosively isolate the outerportions (which may extend past the seal material and thus may beexposed to the elements) from the EC active area, while theenvironmentally stable coating or layer provides a conductive butnon-corrosive bridge between the regions. The isolation line andcoatings of the present invention may be formed on a rear sheet of thetypes described above, or may be formed on other types of rearsubstrates and shapes, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 26 and 27, a mirror reflectiveelement assembly or cell 310 of the present invention includes a frontsubstrate 312 and a rear substrate 314 with an electrochromic medium 316sandwiched therebetween. The rear surface 312 a of the front substrate312 (i.e. the second surface of the cell) may be coated with atransparent semi-conductive coating or layer 318, such as an indium tinoxide (ITO) layer or other layers or coatings as described above, whilethe front surface 314 a of the rear substrate 314 may be coated with atransparent electrically conductive coating or layer 320 a deposited onthe front surface 314 a of the substrate 314 (which is the third surfaceof the cell) and a conductive metallic layer or coating 320 b over thetransparent electrically conductive coating 320 a. As can be seen inFIG. 26, a deletion border or non-conductive track or region or path 324a, 324 b may be masked or formed along a perimeter region 326 of thesurfaces 312 a, 314 a of each of the substrates 312, 314, respectively,such that the conductive coatings 318, 320 a, 320 b are not present atthe perimeter regions 326. For example, and as shown in FIG. 27,deletion border 324 a may extend along the upper perimeter region 326 ofthe surface 314 a of rear substrate 314 (and the deletion border 324 bmay likewise extend along the lower perimeter region of the surface 312a of front substrate 312).

The electrochromic medium 316 is contained between the substrates 312,314 and sealed therein by two or more separated and electricallyisolated conductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b that contact therespective conductive layers 320 b, 318. For example, a conductive epoxyseal portion 328 a may be disposed around and between the lowerperimeter of the substrates and may contact the conductive layer orcoating on one of the substrates at the lower portion (such as thecoatings 320 a and/or 320 b along the lower portion of the rearsubstrate 314) and may contact the non-conductive perimeter region ofthe other substrate along the same portion (such as the deletion border324 b along the lower portion of the front substrate 312). Likewise, asecond and separate and electrically isolated conductive epoxy sealportion 328 b may be disposed around and between the upper perimeter ofthe substrates and may contact the non-conductive perimeter region ofthe one substrate (such as the deletion border 324 a along the upperportion of the rear substrate 314) and may contact the conductive layeror coating on the other substrate along the upper portion (such as thecoating 318 along the upper portion of the front substrate 312). Asshown in FIG. 27, the conductive seal portion 328 b may be disposedalong the glass surface or non-conductive region 324 a along the upperperimeter portion of the rear substrate 314, while the conductive sealportion 328 a is likewise disposed along the glass surface ornon-conductive region 324 b along the lower perimeter portion of thefront substrate 312. The conductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b maycomprise a conductive sealant material, such as an epoxy (such as asealant material or epoxy of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,207,083; 5,724,187; 5,233,461; and 5,142,407, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference) filled or partially filled or mixedwith conductive elements, such as metallic elements, such as silver,chromium or the like, or other form of conductive sealant. Theconductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b are disposed along the deletionborders such that a gap 325 exists between the conductive seal portionsand the respective conductive layers or coatings on the surface of therespective substrate.

The conductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b may be separated by gaps (notshown) between the opposing ends of the seal portions, such that theseal portions are not in contact with one another. As can be seen withreference to FIG. 27, the conductive seal portions may be disposed alongthe respective deletion border and may stop short of the ends of thedeletion borders (although the rear substrate is shown in FIG. 27, thefront substrate may include a similar deletion border and seal portion,but along the lower perimeter region of the substrate surface), suchthat the gaps between the opposed ends of the seal portions aregenerally in areas where the deletion borders of the two substrates mayoverlap when the substrates are sandwiched together. The gaps may beplugged with a non-conductive seal or plug material, such as a UVcurable or heat curable seal or plug material (such as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,207,083; 5,724,187; 5,233,461; and 5,142,407, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference), to substantially seal the celland limit or substantially preclude electrical connectivity between thetwo conductive seal portions. For example, one of the gaps may beinitially plugged with a non-conductive material or plug, and then thereflective element assembly may be filled with the electrochromic mediumthrough the other gap or opening or port between the conductive sealportions. After the reflective element assembly is filled withelectrochromic medium, the other gap or opening (i.e., the fill openingor fill port) may be plugged with a non-conductive material or plug toseal the electrochromic medium within the reflective element assembly orcell.

The mirror reflective element assembly 310 includes electrical contactsor connectors 323 a, 323 b (FIG. 26) that may contact the respectiveconductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b to provide electrical current tothe conductive seal portions 328 a, 328 b. Because the seal portions 328a, 328 b comprise a conductive sealant material, such as a conductiveepoxy or the like, and because the individual seal portions contact theconductive layer or coating on only one of the substrates, the sealportions communicate the electrical current to the respective conductivelayer or layers and act as an electrical raceway along the respectiveportion of the reflective element assembly. The deletion borders and thenonconductive plugs isolate each conductive seal portion from oneanother, such that the conductive seal portions energize only therespective conductive layer or layers that they are disposed at andalong.

The electrical contacts or connectors 323 a, 323 b may be insertedpartially into the respective conductive seal portion or may otherwisecontact an exterior portion of the conductive seal portion tocommunicate the electrical current to the seal portions, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. Because the seal portionsare conductive, the electrical contacts may engage or contact or insertinto the respective seal portion and do not have to clip onto therespective substrate or otherwise contact the conductive layer on thesubstrate. Therefore, the reflective element assembly of the presentinvention may provide a substantially flush or even or unstaggeredreflective element assembly (as can be seen in FIG. 26), with the upperand lower portions of both substrates being substantially aligned orflush with one another.

Optionally, and as shown in FIGS. 28-30, an electro-optic orelectrochromic cell or reflective element assembly 410, such as for anexterior rearview mirror assembly 411 (FIG. 29) of a vehicle or aninterior rearview mirror assembly 411′ (FIG. 30), includes a frontsubstrate 412 and a rear substrate 414, with an electro-optic orelectrochromic medium 416 (FIGS. 29 and 30) disposed or sandwichedtherebetween and contained via a perimeter seal 428. The front substrate412 may have a transparent electrically conductive layer or coating 418,such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like such as described above,disposed on its rear surface 412 a, while the rear substrate 414includes a metallic or conductive layer or coating 420, preferably ahighly reflective metallic layer or coating (such as, for example,chromium, chromium/rhodium, silver, aluminum, silver alloy, aluminumalloy, ITO/silver/ITO stack, ITO/aluminum/ITO stack (such asITO-silver-ITO stacks and display on demand stacks or infraredtransmitting stacks of the types disclosed in International PublicationNo. WO 2004/026633, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference) orlayers of the types disclosed in International Publication No. WO2004/042457, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, or thelike) applied to or deposited on and substantially over the front orthird surface 414 a of rear substrate 414. The outer perimeter edge areaor border region 414 b of the third surface 414 a of the rear substrate414 may be masked while the metallic reflective coating or coatings 420is/are applied, such that the border region 414 b of the front surface414 a of substrate 414 provides a non-conductive surface or path orraceway (such as a glass surface or the like) at least partially aroundthe metallic reflector 420 and proximate to the edge 414 c of rearsubstrate 414.

As shown in FIG. 28, a tab-out portion 420 a of conductive layer 420 mayextend over the border region or raceway 414 b to provide an electricalcontact point or region or area for the rear substrate 414, as discussedbelow. The non-conductive raceway 414 b thus is substantially devoid ofthe conductive layer 420 except at the tab portion 420 a. Optionally,and preferably, the tab-out portion 420 a may wrap at least partiallyaround the edge dimension 414 c of the substrate 414 (such as shown inFIG. 28, where the tab-out portion 420 a extends along the outerperimeter or border region 414 b of third surface 414 a of substrate 414and may further extend at least partially along and over the perimeteredge 414 c of substrate 414). Rear substrate 414 may also include aconductive coating or layer or solder 421 applied to or deposited on orpositioned at and partially along the perimeter edge 414 c of thesubstrate 414 generally at and over the tab-out portion 420 a ofconductive layer 420.

Reflective element assembly 410 includes electrical connectors orterminals 422 and 424 for providing electrical connection to theconductive or semi-conductive layers 418, 420, respectively.Particularly, an electrical connection terminal or connector 424 maycontact the solder 421 at the edge portion 414 c to provide electricalconnection between the conductive metallic layer 420 and the appropriateelectrical source, circuitry or control or the like at the rear of thereflective element assembly. The electrical connection terminal 424(FIG. 28) may be soldered or adhered or attached to (such as viaelectrically conductive adhesive or the like, such as a conductivecoating or layer or the like) or may be mechanically contacting at (suchas via a spring-action contact or the like) the solder portion 421. Theelectrical connector 422 (FIGS. 29 and 30) for contacting and connectingto the transparent electrically conductive layer on the front substratemay contact another conductive strip or solder 423 that extends at leastpartially around the perimeter of the reflective element assembly. Thestrip or solder 423 may extend at least partially around the perimeterof the rear substrate except in the region of the solder portion 421 atthe tab-out region 420 a, so that the connectors and solder strips areelectrically isolated from one another.

As shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, the front substrate 412 of reflectiveelement assembly 410 has a height dimension that is greater than acorresponding height dimension of the rear substrate, such that theupper perimeter region or edge portion 412 d and lower perimeter regionor edge portion 412 e of front substrate 412 extend beyond thecorresponding perimeter regions or edge portions 414 d, 414 e of rearsubstrate 414 and define upper and lower overhang regions 413 a, 413 b.The electrical connector or connectors 422, 424 may connect to theconductive layers at the substrate surfaces at the overhang region orregions 413 a, 413 b and may not interfere or overlap the perimeter edgeof the front substrate. Also, by having the front substrate taller thanthe rear substrate and defining overhang regions at both the upper andlower regions of the reflective element assembly, the reflective elementassembly may be placed or disposed at or in the bezel or casing (or thebezel or casing may be molded directly around the reflective elementassembly) without exposing the seal between the substrates to shearstresses, such as may otherwise occur at the seal when the substratesare offset in either direction (such as shown in the embodiment of FIG.1). Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 30, a printed circuit board (PCB)429 may be attached to or mounted or positioned at the rear surface ofthe rear substrate 414.

Also, the overhang regions (defined by the under-sized rear substraterelative to the front substrate) of the reflective element assembly ofthe present invention provide essentially a circumferential ledge oredge (such as a ledge extending approximately 0.5 mm beyond the edge ofthe rear substrate) for a soldering device to follow around thereflective element assembly to provide enhanced soldering of the racewayaround the conductive coatings. The soldering device may be moved along(such as by a computer numerical control (CNC) or the like) andsubstantially around the cell at the overhang region (such as byfollowing the edge of the rear substrate) and may apply the solderthereto, and may stop short of the tab-out region, in order to apply thesolder line 423 along the perimeter edges of the reflective elementassembly. The bead of solder thus contacts the conductive ITO layer (orthe like) on the front substrate, but does not come into electricalcontact with the conductive coating or layer on the rear substrate. Thesolder may thus be applied around, but may not touch, the tab-out region(or a solder strip at the tab-out region), so as not to short thereflective element assembly when the electrical connectors are appliedthereto. Optionally, the bezel portion of the mirror assembly may bemolded around the reflective element assembly (particularly around thefront substrate) and may cool and shrink around the reflective elementassembly to secure the reflective element assembly to the bezel portion,without shearing the substrates relative to one another. The bezelportion thus may be molded or positioned or formed along the ledge ofthe overhang regions to provide direct molding or forming of the bezelportion around the reflective element assembly, without the seal or sealportions being exposed to shear stresses typically encountered in otherknown reflective element assemblies.

Optionally, as shown in FIG. 31, the front substrate 412′ may have aninsulating layer 425 applied over the transparent electricallyconductive coating or layer 418 and at the edge portion 412 b that willgenerally align with the tab-out 420 a on the rear substrate 414 whenthe substrates are juxtaposed and mated together during the assembly ofthe reflective element assembly. The insulating layer 425 may also beapplied over the region of the second surface 412 a (such asapproximately 1 mm or thereabouts inward from the edge 412 b so as topreferably be within the seal region of the reflective element assembly)that generally corresponds or aligns with the tab-out 420 a when thereflective element assembly is assembled together.

The insulating layer 425 may comprise a substantially thin layer, suchas less than approximately ten microns thick and preferably less thanapproximately 5 microns thick, and may comprise a clear or coloredmaterial, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Theinsulating layer may be painted or applied or smeared or pad printed orscreened or the like at the edge of the front substrate before the frontand rear substrates are juxtaposed and mated together to generally coverthe desired area that will align with the tab-out on the rear substrate.The insulating layer or coating 425 may be substantially non-conductingand may comprise a thin layer of non-conductive epoxy or urethane oracrylic or acrylate or may comprise an elevated temperature (such asgreater than 100 degrees Celsius) resilient sol-gel metal oxide, such asSiO₂ or the like, or other type of substantially non-conducting orinsulating material, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. As discussed below with respect to FIG. 46, the insulatinglayer may be disposed along the wraparound and/or overlapping coatingportion or portions at a portion of the perimeter edge of the rearsubstrate that is recessed from the corresponding edge portion of thefront substrate so as to define an overhang portion or region in thatarea. The insulating layer thus may be disposed along the overhangregion to substantially electrically insulate or isolate the conductivetab-out region or portion at the edge region or portion of the rearsubstrate from the transparent electrically conductive coating on thesecond surface of the front substrate. The selected insulating materialmay be air dried or UV cured or otherwise dried or cured after it isapplied to the front substrate (and optionally may be applied beforecuring of the conductive layer and may be heated or cured while theconductive ITO layer is cured). Alternately, the edge region and secondsurface area that corresponds with or aligns with the tab-out of therear substrate may be laser etched or ablated to remove the transparentelectrically conductive coating 418 in the desired area before thesubstrates are mated together to provide an insulating/isolating regiongenerally at the tab-out region when the substrates are juxtaposed andmated together, without affecting the scope of the present invention.The insulating region or coating or layer thus may further preclude anyshorting of the reflective element assembly when the electricalconnectors are applied thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, an encapsulant 426 may be provided at theoverhang regions to seal and protect the solder and connectors of thereflective element assembly. For example, the encapsulant or pottingmaterial 426 (such as, for example, a silicone or urethane elastomer,preferably a conductive at least partially or semi-elastomeric materialor the like) may be applied or positioned over the rear surface (and maybe applied partially or entirely around the outer perimeter edge of thesubstrate) to environmentally protect, such as by sealing, theconnection of the connector terminals and the conductive layers, such asdescribed in International Publication No. WO 2004/042457, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference. The electrical connectionterminals may extend rearward from the reflective element assembly andmay protrude from the encapsulant or potting material for electricalconnection to a connector associated with the appropriate electricalpower, circuitry or control or the like.

The overhang regions of the front substrate relative to the rearsubstrate thus may allow for the electrical connectors to connect to therespective conductive layers substantially or entirely within theviewable profile of the front substrate by extending along therespective perimeter edges of the rear substrate, such that theconnectors do not overlap the perimeter regions of the front substrateand, thus, are not viewable at the front surface of the front substrate.The front substrate may include a hiding layer or concealing layer (suchas a dark frit layer or a chromium oxide (often referred to as “blackchrome”) or other metal or metal oxide or metal compound that is dark,such as black, such as described in International Publication No. WO2004/042457, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference) at theperimeter regions or overhang regions, such as at the rear surface ofthe front substrate, to substantially hide or conceal the connectors andthe seal or seals of the reflective element assembly. The reflectiveelement assembly thus may be suitable for a bezel-less or minimal bezel(preferably less than approximately 4.5 mm overlap of the front surfaceof the reflective element assembly, more preferably less thanapproximately 4 mm and most preferably less than approximately 3.5 mmoverlap of the front surface of the reflective element assembly) mirrorassembly.

Although shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 as being a reflective element assemblyfor an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, the reflectiveelement assembly may optionally be implemented with an interior rearviewmirror assembly 411′ (FIG. 30), with a mirror housing or casing 411 a′and a mirror mounting arm or support or assembly 411 b′, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. Optionally, the reflectiveelement assembly may be received within a bezel portion or assembly of arearview mirror assembly, whereby the bezel portion or assembly mayattach to a desired or selected rear cap portion or end cap to form orassemble a mirror assembly having the desired accessory or accessoriesor mirror content, such as is described in International Publication No.WO 2004/103772, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Insuch an application, the mirror mount may attach to the reflectiveelement assembly and the back or cap portion may attach to the rear ofthe bezel assembly (as described in International Publication No. WO2004/103772, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference).

The reflective element assembly of the present invention thus providesan enhanced assembly that may be readily manufactured and assembled. Theoverhang regions of the present invention provide for enhancedmanufacturing and assembly processes and provide benefits of simplicityin the reflective element design and assembly over prior knownapproaches, such as the mirror assemblies of the type described in U.S.Pat. Pub. No. US2004/0032638, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 32-35, an electro-optic orelectrochromic cell or reflective element assembly 510, such as for aninterior or exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, includes afront substrate 512 and a rear substrate 514, with an electro-optic orelectrochromic medium 516 disposed or sandwiched therebetween. The frontsubstrate 512 has a transparent electrically conductive layer or coatingor coatings 518, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like such asdescribed above, disposed on its rear surface 512 a (forming the secondsurface of the cell assembly), while the rear substrate 514 includes ametallic reflective and conductive layer or coating 520 (forming thethird surface in the cell assembly), preferably at least a substantiallyreflecting and most preferably a highly reflective metallic layer orcoating or coating stack (such as, for example, chromium,chromium/rhodium, silver, aluminum, silver alloy, aluminum alloy,ITO/silver/ITO stack, ITO/aluminum/ITO stack, such as described above)applied to or deposited on and substantially over the front surface 514a of the rear substrate and forming the third surface of the cellassembly.

As can be seen in FIGS. 32-35, the transparent electrically conductivelayer of coating 518 substantially covers the second surface 512 a offront substrate 512, and desirably wraps around and overcoats a coatededge portion 512 b of front substrate 512 along at least one portion ofthe circumferential edge of the substrate. An opposite perimeter region512 c and corresponding edge portion 512 b′ is uncoated and/or has thecoating removed therefrom to define an uncoated perimeter region of thesubstrate that is generally opposite to or across from the coated edgeportion 512 b. The transparent electrically conductive layer 518 definesa circumferential track or raceway or wraparound/overcoated portion 518a around the coated edge portion 512 b of the circumference of the frontsubstrate 512. Optionally, the uncoated perimeter region 512 c of thesurface 512 a (and the corresponding uncoated edge portion 512 b′) offront substrate 512 that is generally opposite/across from thewraparound/overcoated edge portion 512 b may be masked during depositionof coating layer(s) 518 so that layer(s) 518 are not deposited on theperimeter region 512 c and the unwraparound/unovercoated edge portion512 b′ during formation itself of transparent electrically conductivelayer(s) 518. Alternately, after the conductive layer(s) 518 has beenestablished, the conductive layer(s) may be removed (such as by chemicaletching or laser ablation or mechanical ablation such as viasandblasting) from the perimeter region 512 c of the surface 512 a (andfrom edge portion 512 b′ if the edge portion 512 b′ is already coated)of front substrate 512, in order to create a non-conductive borderregion at the perimeter region 512 c, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

Likewise, the conductive layers or coatings (or stack of coatings) 520substantially cover the third surface 514 a of rear substrate 514, anddesirably wrap around and overcoat a coated edge portion 514 b of rearsubstrate 514 along at least one portion of the circumferential edge ofthe substrate. An opposite perimeter region 514 c and corresponding edgeportion 514 b′ is uncoated and/or has the coating removed therefrom todefine an uncoated perimeter region of the substrate that is generallyopposite to or across from the coated edge portion 514 b. The conductivelayer or layers 520 defines a circumferential track or raceway orwraparound/overcoated portion 520 a around the coated edge portion 514 bof the circumference of the rear substrate 514. Optionally, the uncoatedperimeter region 514 c of the surface 514 a (and the correspondinguncoated edge portion 514 b′) of rear substrate 514 that is generallyopposite/across from the wraparound/overcoated edge portion 514 b may bemasked during deposition of coating layer(s) 520 so that the layer(s)520 are not deposited on a perimeter region 514 c and theunwraparound/unovercoated edge portion 514 b′ during formation itself ofthe metallic electrically conductive layer(s) 520. Alternately, afterthe conductive layer(s) 520 have been established, the conductivelayer(s) may be removed (such as by chemical etching or laser ablationor mechanical ablation such as via sandblasting) from the perimeterregion 514 c of the surface 514 a (and from edge portion 514 b′ if theedge portion 514 b′ is already coated) of rear substrate 514, in orderto create a non-conductive border region at the perimeter region 514 c,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

When the substrates 512, 514 are juxtaposed (with their coated surfacesfacing one another as shown in FIGS. 32-35), the uncoated perimeterregion 514 c and unovercoated edge portion 514 b′ of rear substrate 514may be generally aligned with or adjacent to or along thewraparound/overcoated portion 518 a and overcoated edge portion 512 b offront substrate 512 (and spaced from the coating(s) 518 by the seal522), while the masked or uncoated perimeter region 512 c andunovercoated edge portion 512 b′ of front substrate 512 may be generallyaligned with or adjacent to or along the wraparound portion 520 a andovercoated edge portion 514 b of rear substrate 514 (and spaced from thecoating(s) 520 by the seal 522). The wraparound portions 518 a, 520 athus define opposite wraparound portions that are along oppositeovercoated edge portions of the substrates when the substrates arejuxtaposed and mated together.

The wraparound portions 518 a, 520 a may cover or span approximatelyhalf of the circumference of the respective substrate or may cover orspan different portions, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The dimensions of the wraparound portions and uncoatedportions are selected so as to avoid any electrical interconnectionbetween the wraparound/overcoated edge portions when the substrates arejuxtaposed or mated together, and may be selected to be the desired orappropriate lengths depending on the particular application. Forexample, the wraparound portion of the transparent electricallyconductive coating 518 may be longer or may cover a greater amount ofthe circumference of the front substrate and, thus, the wraparoundportion of the conductive metallic coating 520 may be shorter and maycover a lesser amount of the circumference of the rear substrate so thatthe wraparound portions will not overlap when the substrates arejuxtaposed and/or mated together.

The uncoated regions of the juxtaposed or mated substrates preferablydefine a gap or safety zone (where the uncoated regions 512 c, 514 c andthe uncoated edge portions 512 b′, 514 b′ extend and overlap when thesubstrates are juxtaposed and mated together) between the respective oropposed ends of the wraparound portions 518 a, 520 a, so that theconductive wraparound portions are not aligned with or adjacent to oroverlapping one another when the substrates are mated together.Accordingly, when the substrates are juxtaposed, a wraparound portion onone of the substrates coincides with an uncoated edge and surface regionon the other substrate, and the wraparound portion on the other of thesubstrates coincides with the uncoated edge and surface region of theone substrate, such that there is no overlapping of the wraparoundportions of the substrates. It is envisioned that the substrates mayeach include two or more overcoated edge portions or raceways, which arespaced apart with non-overcoated regions therebetween. The overcoatededge portions or raceways are spaced apart so that the non-overcoatedregions coincide with the overcoated edge portions of the othersubstrate, such that there is no overlapping of the overcoated edgeportions or raceways when the substrates are juxtaposed and matedtogether.

When the substrates 512, 514 are juxtaposed and mated together, anon-conductive seal or seal portion or portions 522 is disposed aroundthe perimeter region of the reflective element assembly or cell 510 andseals/contains the electrochromic medium 516 within the cell after theelectrochromic medium is established therein. The seal 522 encompassesand fills in the masked or uncoated perimeter regions 512 c, 514 c toelectrically isolate/insulate the coatings or layers 518, 520 from therespective uncoated edge portions 512 b′, 514 b′ of substrates 512, 514.

After the substrates are mated together, a pair of opposite electricalconnectors or clips or bus-bars 524, 526 (FIG. 32) may be clipped orconnected to or established at the assembly to provide electricalcurrent to the conductive coatings 518, 520, respectively. As can beseen in FIG. 32, connector 524 extends along one perimeter region of thecell and contacts overcoated portion 518 a to energize conductive layer518 on surface 512 a of front substrate 512, yet extends along theunovercoated or unwraparound edge 514 b′ of rear substrate 514 and,thus, will not contact conductive layer 520 of rear substrate 514.Likewise, connector 526 extends along another or opposite perimeterregion of the cell and contacts wraparound or overcoated portion 520 ato energize conductive layer 520 on surface 514 a of rear substrate 514,yet extends along the unovercoated or unwraparound edge 512 b′ of frontsubstrate 512 and, thus, will not contact conductive layer 518 of frontsubstrate 512. The clips or connectors or bus-bars 524, 526 thus willonly contact one of the conductive layers 518, 520 and the reflectiveelement assembly or cell thus will not short when the clips areenergized to color or darken the electrochromic medium. The clips 524,526 are connected to a power source or control via electrical leads orconnections 524 a, 526 a, respectively.

The electrical clips or connectors or bus-bars may be mechanicallyclipped around the substrates or cell and/or may be adhered or otherwisesecured to the cell along the respective perimeter regions. In theillustrated embodiment of FIG. 32, the clips or bus-bars are metallic,generally straight clips extending along the respective edges of thecell with end portions extending slightly around the front and rearfaces of the cell assembly. However, other forms of clips or bus-bars,such as curved, C-shaped clips 524′, 526′ (FIG. 33) or substantiallystraight, flat strips 524″, 526″ (FIG. 34) or the like, may beimplemented without affecting the scope of the present invention.Optionally, the electrical contact between the clips and the respectiveconductive wraparound or overcoated portions may be enhanced via aconductive medium or material 525, such as a conductive paste, epoxy,solder, silver frit or the like, applied to the cell at the clips, inorder to ensure intimate contact between the clips or bus-bars and therespective conductive wraparound portions. In the case of the connectors524″, 526″ of FIG. 34, the conductive material may also function toadhere or retain the clips in place along the reflective elementassembly or cell assembly. The mirror bezel portion 528 may extend aminimal amount over the front face 512 d of the mirror cell assembly tocover the clips and conceal or hide the seal 522 and the like.

Although shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 as extending around the frontsubstrate and partially over a perimeter region of the front surface 512d of front substrate 512, the electrical clips or connectors (such asclips 524″, 526″ in FIG. 34) may not extend to or overlap the front faceor surface 512 d of front substrate 512, such that the reflectiveelement assembly may be highly suitable for a reduced bezel/bezel-lessmirror assembly application. Optionally, the electrical contacts maycomprise a bead of ultrasonic solder or the like, with no metallic clip,such as for applications where the reflective element may be used in areduced bezel/bezel-less mirror assembly. In such a configuration, theedge of the cell may have some form of edge encapsulation or a form ofbackplate/bezel similar to known non-electrochromic or base exteriormirror assemblies.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 35, the cell assembly may beplaced in a plastic or polymeric bezel portion and a conductive epoxy orconductive adhesive or conductive silicone or other conductive pottingmaterial 525′ may be disposed along each of the wraparound or overcoatededge portions to form or establish a conductive raceway along therespective wraparound/overcoated edge portion. An electrode or wire 524a′, 526 a′ or the like may then be inserted into or plugged into orengaged with the respective conductive potting material 525′ to provideelectrical current from a power source to the respective wraparound edgeportion and associated surface coating. Such a configuration need notrequire additional clips or bus-bars or the like, since the conductiveraceway is defined by the conductive potting material disposed along therespective wraparound portions. The conductive potting material may besufficiently thick or voluminous to provide sufficient conductivityalong the respective wraparound/overcoated portion to sufficiently powerthe respective surface coating(s). Preferably, the conductive pottingmaterial may comprise a highly plasticized to have some resilienceand/or and may comprise a conductive elastomer, such as a conductivesilicone or similar material, such as a graphite impregnated and/ormetal particle impregnated elastomeric material or the like. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 35 is otherwise similar to the embodiments ofFIGS. 32-34, with similar reference numbers, such that a detaileddiscussion of the mirror assembly will not be repeated herein.

In order to form the non-conductive regions opposite the wraparoundcoatings 518 a, 520 a, the second surface transparent electricallyconductive coating 518 and the third surface conductive coating 520 maybe removed after deposition or may be masked during deposition onlyalong one perimeter region or side or portion of the respectivesubstrate, without affecting the scope of the present invention.Optionally, the corner 512 e, 514 e along the overcoated edge portion512 b, 514 b may be chamfered or may be made with a radius or may beotherwise formed to have a chamfered or angled or rounded or otherwisenon-90 degree corner along the overcoated portions 518 a, 520 a, inorder to provide an enhanced coating and electrical connection betweenthe overcoated portions 518 a, 520 a and the respective surface coatings518, 520. However, the corner may comprise a sharp, 90 degree corner asshown in FIGS. 32-35, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Preferably, the non-overcoated region or side may have the unovercoatededge portion 512 b′, 514 b′ plus the narrow uncoated strip or borderregion 512 c, 514 c along the substrate surface close to the edge of thesubstrate (and close to the edge of the seal when the substrates aremated and sealed together). The uncoated strip or region 512 c, 514 c isdesired to ensure that the conductive medium that may be applied at andbetween the clip and the edge of the substrate or glass does not moveinto a gap between the edge of the epoxy and the glass (which may occurduring manufacturing) and short the two connectors/electrodes together.The reflective element assembly of the present invention thus avoidsshorting or bridging of the conductive coatings because the conductivecoating on one substrate is removed in the areas of the clip or bus-barthat contacts the conductive coating on the other substrate.

Accordingly, and with reference to FIG. 36, a reflective elementassembly or cell assembly of the present invention may be manufacturedor formed via an assembly process 540 by first procuring generally flat,clear glass sheets at 545. The glass sheets may be bent or curved at 550to a desired or appropriate curvature for the particular mirrorapplication. The front substrate shape and rear substrate shape may becut from the sheets at 555 and 560, respectively. The cut substrateshapes may then be masked along a portion of the edge perimeter region(such as described above with respect to uncoated portions 512 c, 514 cand unovercoated or unwraparound edge portions 512 b′, 514 b′) at 565,570. The transparent electrically conductive layer (such as ITO or thelike) may be deposited on the surface of the front substrate shape andonto the unmasked edge portion (such as onto overcoated region 512 b,discussed above) at 575, while the metallic coating or coatings may bedeposited on the surface of the rear substrate shape and onto theunmasked edge portion (such as onto overcoated region 514 b, discussedabove) at 580. The coated substrates may then be assembled together withthe seal material therebetween at 585, and the electrochromic medium maybe established in the cell and cured in any known manner or the like.

Optionally, after the substrates are juxtaposed and mated together, themated substrates or cell may be placed in a jig or fixture to attach theclips or connectors or bus-bars along the respective overcoated edges.The fixture may have a recess or well-formed therein for receiving thecell assembly. The clips/bus-bars (which may be generally L-shaped ormay be otherwise formed for engaging the corresponding overcoated edgeportion of the cell) may have been pre-placed along respective portionsof the recess or well, and a conductive medium (such as a conductiveepoxy or conductive adhesive or conductive setting material or the like)may be applied along each clip. The conductive medium may be desirablebecause the overcoat portions may be relatively fragile relative tonormal, secure electrical raceways, whereby the conductive medium may bedisposed over and along the overcoated/wraparound portions to ensureintimate electrical contact between the connectors/bus-bars and theovercoated/wraparound portions.

The conductive medium may be applied in at least two portions, with oneportion along each of the clips and with the discontinuities between theportions generally coinciding with the safety zones (where the uncoatedregions 512 c, 514 c and unovercoated edge portions 512 b′, 514 b′ ofthe substrates overlap when the substrates are juxtaposed so that thereis no overlapping of the overcoated regions 512 b, 514 b). Also, anelectrically insulating block or member or material may be applied ordisposed at the safety zones to further insulate or isolate theovercoated edge portions from one another. The cell may then be set intothe recess of the fixture (such as with the rear substrate down oragainst one of the legs of the L-shaped clips and with the other legs ofthe L-shaped clips being positioned along the perimeter portions orovercoated edge portions of the cell) and the cell may be heated or UVcured to at least temporarily set up the conductive epoxy to adhere theclips/bus-bars to the cell. The clips/bus-bars thus may be attached orsecured to the cell along the respective coated edge portions orraceways, and may be adhered to the cell along the edges or rear portionof the cell, such that there is no adhesive and no part of the clips atthe front surface of the cell.

Optionally, the fixture may receive the bezel portion, and theclips/bus-bars may be incorporated or set into the bezel (such as ametallic sleeve or member within the bezel portion or such as a metallicor metalicized bezel portion or the like), or the clips/bus-bars maydefine the bezel portion, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. The front substrate may thus be placed into the bezel and thecell assembly may be retained therein in a similar manner as describedabove.

Although shown in FIGS. 32-35 with the front and rear substrates havingsubstantially the same height/width dimension, it is envisioned that thefront substrate may be oversized relative to the rear substrate (such asby about 0.5 mm or thereabouts), such as described above with respect toFIGS. 28-30, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Asdiscussed above, such a configuration limits or reduces or substantiallyprecludes shear stresses being transferred to the seal of the cellassembly when the bezel portion of the mirror assembly is attached to orformed to the cell assembly. Also, the oversized/undersized substrateconfiguration provides a ledge or shelf or anchor that may function as aguide or cam follower region when a solder bead or the like is appliedaround the cell assembly, as also discussed above.

The opposite wraparound coatings or overcoated edges of the presentinvention thus may be coated over opposite edge portions of therespective substrates to provide electrically isolated conductiveraceways for the respective substrates when the substrates arejuxtaposed. The reflective element assembly of the present inventionthus may be suitable for a reduced bezel width mirror design or abezel-less mirror design. The reflective element assembly may provide aflush mirror with the electrical contacts at the edge coatings for boththe third surface as well as the second surface coatings. The bezelwidth need only be slightly wider than the width of the seal, since theclip (which may be typically about 1 mm or thereabouts) is typicallysmaller than the width of the seal (about 2 mm or thereabouts).Optionally, the front substrate may have an opaque perimeter coating(such as the types described in International Publication No. WO2004/042457, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference) on one ofits surfaces to mask or conceal the seal, such that the reflectiveelement may be suitable for use in a reduced bezel or bezel-less mirrorapplication. The present invention thus provides a method ofmanufacturing a cell assembly that has not been previously achieved,such as when front and rear substrate coated shapes are cut from alreadycoated larger sheets or substrates, such as from already ITO coated onthe concave surface of large calottes or metallic coated (such as chromerhodium or the like) on the convex surface of large calottes, which maybe either rectangular or circular bent substrates as typically used inthe automotive mirror exterior reflector art. The present inventionprovides an overcoated edge portion on each of the substrates by coatingat least the edge portions after the substrate shapes have been cut fromthe larger sheets or substrates.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 37 and 38, a reflective elementassembly 610 (such as for a bezelless or frameless mirror assembly, andsuch as for an interior or exterior mirror assembly) includes a frontsubstrate 612 and a rear substrate 614 and an electro-optic orelectrochromic medium 616 disposed or sandwiched therebetween andcontained/protected within an epoxy seal 622. The front substrate 612includes a transparent electrically conductive coating 618 (such as anITO coating or the like) on its rear surface 612 a (the second surfaceof the reflective element assembly), and also includes a perimetermetallic coating or strip or layer or band 619 around the perimeterregions of the substrate to form a ring or frame around the perimeter ofthe substrate that is substantially non-transparent or opaque, asdiscussed below. The rear substrate 614 includes a conductive metalliclayer or coating 620 on its front surface 614 a (the third surface ofthe reflective element assembly). The conductive layer 620 may comprisemultiple conductive and metallic layers or the like (such as discussedabove), and includes a wraparound edge portion 620 a that wraps aroundand overcoats an edge 614 b of rear substrate 614.

As shown in FIG. 38, a conductive raceway 628 includes a rear surfacelayer or portion 628 a disposed along at least a perimeter region of therear surface 614 c of the rear substrate 614 and an edge overlappinglayer or portion 628 b that extends partially along or over therespective edge 614 b. The conductive raceway 628 (such as an ultrasonicsolder or conductive epoxy or conductive polymeric material or ametallic strip or the like) thus provides an electrical connection froman electrical connector 624 at the rear surface portion 628 a of raceway628 to the coating 620 on the third surface of the reflective elementassembly via the overlapping portion 628 a that at least partiallyoverlaps the wraparound edge portion 620 a of conductive coating orlayer 620.

Likewise, a conductive raceway 630 (which also may comprise anultrasonic solder or a conductive epoxy or conductive polymer or ametallic strip or the like) includes a rear surface layer or portion 630a disposed along a perimeter region of the rear surface 614 c of thesubstrate 614 and an edge portion 630 b disposed along the respectiveedge 614 d of rear substrate 614 and further along the seal 622 and intoelectrical contact or connection with the metallic coating or strip 619at the rear surface 612 a of front substrate 612. An electricalconnector 626 may be provided at the rear surface portion 630 a ofraceway 630. As can be seen in FIGS. 37 and 38, the conductive coating620 on the front surface 614 a of rear substrate 614 may not be presentalong the perimeter region of the front surface 614 a along the edge 614d, such that a non-electrically conducting or electrically insulatingexclusion zone or deletion zone 621 is defined along the perimeter frontsurface of the rear substrate. The conductive coating 620 thus may beelectrically isolated from the raceway portion 630 b of raceway 630 (andmay be separated and isolated by the non-conductive seal 622).

The main seal 622 of the reflective element assembly is disposed aroundthe perimeter portion of one of the substrates and the substrates arethen mated together to form or define the interspacing cavity or cell inwhich the electro-optic medium (such as an electrochromic medium, suchas a solid polymer matrix (SPM) or the like) is established. The sealmay include an opening or fill port or hole through which a precursormaterial may be filled (or, if the electro-optic material is itself aliquid, the electro-optic medium itself may be filled through the fillport), and in which a plug may be disposed to plug the cell after it isfilled. The seal may comprise a black or opaque, UV curable epoxy seal,or may comprise other materials, such as a transparent seal material orthe like, without affecting the scope of the present invention, and theseal may be established via any known means. For example, a preferablywater clear or window like seal material may be established, such as forapplications where a propensity may exist for the black seal to extendoutward to a point where the black seal may be visible beyond theperimeter edge of perimeter band or front substrate. For example, and asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,298, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, a transparent perimeter seal can be prepared for amirror element using Dymax X-195-68-1 UV curable adhesive, an acrylate.The Dymax adhesive, preferably containing about 1.5 wt. percent glassbeads spacers, can be UV cured using a Dymax PC-2 light source. Also,and as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,112 and 5,864,419, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference, a transparent perimeter sealcan be prepared using a water-clear epoxy sealing material such as EPON828™ from Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Tex., cured such as bypolyamide-based curing agents such as V-40TM from Miller Stephenson Co.of Danbury, Conn. Optionally, the seal may be established utilizingprinciples described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,112; 5,073,012; and/or5,790,298, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The exclusion zone 621 may extend substantially around the perimeter ofthe substrate (except for along the perimeter at the edge 614 b) toprovide a gap between the outer edges of the substrate and theconductive coating. The exclusion zone also functions to provide a viewpath for viewing the seal 622 when the reflective element assembly isassembled so that the cell may be inspected to determine that the sealis properly or acceptably or suitably in place around the electrochromicmedium. This exclusion zone around the fill port may also allow forcuring of plug seal materials (such as materials that may be activatedby UV radiation) with UV radiation. Because the coating 620 extends overthe front surface 614 a of substrate 614 and to the edge 614 b, the sealmay not be viewable along that perimeter or edge regions. It is thusenvisioned that multiple deletion lines or zones or gaps may be formedin the coating 620 at or near the perimeter edge 614 b so that someportions of the seal along that perimeter edge may also be viewable orinspectable. Optionally, it is envisioned that the third surface andedge 614 b may be initially coated with a transparent electricallyconductive coating, and then the metallic reflective coating or coatingsmay be applied as an island on the third surface and not extending overthe perimeter regions of the third surface. The fourth surface may alsobe partially coated with a transparent electrically conductive coating(and may overlap the conductive coated edge) to provide a conductivetrace from the rear surface to the front surface of the rear substrate.The seal may then be viewable all around the perimeter of the reflectiveelement assembly and through the transparent electrically conductivecoatings along the conductive perimeter edge region or regions, afterthe substrates have been mated together.

The electrical leads 624 a, 626 a may be connected to or attached to therespective electrical connectors 624, 626 at the rear surface portions628 a, 630 a of the respective raceways 628, 630, and may beelectrically connected to a power source or control or circuitry orwiring harness of the mirror assembly to provide electrical power orcurrent to the conductive layers 620, 618 to energize or darken oractivate the electro-optic reflective element assembly or cell. Aconductive or non-conductive epoxy may be applied at the connectors atthe rear surface portions of the raceways to provide a robust electricalconnection that may withstand the assembly process with reduced stressto the solder joint between the leads and the connectors.

As shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, the rear substrate 614 preferably has asmaller dimension than the corresponding dimension of the frontsubstrate 612, such that an overhang region 632 a, 632 b exists or isdefined along the opposite edges of the reflective element assembly (andpreferably all the way around the perimeter of the reflective elementassembly), such that the rear substrate is recessed from the perimeterof the front substrate around the opposite sides of the substrate oraround the entire substrate, except where the fill port is located.Optionally, the rear substrate may be recessed from the perimeter of thefront substrate and substantially all around the substrate perimeter,and may include a projection or tab or the like that extends radiallyoutward and generally corresponds to the fill port location (such as byutilizing aspects described in International Publication No. WO2004/042457, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference), suchthat the rear substrate is not recessed in from the perimeter of thefront substrate at the fill port location.

The ultrasonic solder raceways 628, 630 comprise various solder types,such as leaded or unleaded ultrasonic solders (and preferably a leadfree solder), such as, for example, a Cerasolzer ultrasonic solderdistributed by Bellex International Corp. or a Sunbonder USM-IVavailable from Kuroda Techno of Japan. The solder may be applied by anultrasonic soldering tip that may be contoured or formed to follow theedge of the substrate, such that the solder may be readily applied alongthe overhang regions. For example, and as shown in phantom in FIG. 37, asoldering tip 629 may comprise an L-shaped soldering tip that maygenerally conform to the rear surface and edge 614 b of the rearsubstrate 614 and overcoat 620 a, and may be moved along the edge 614 band rear surface to establish the raceway 628 a. The soldering tip 629may include tabs or guides 629 a to engage the rear surface and edge ofthe substrate and guide the tip along the substrate, while the solder isapplied via a soldering portion 629 b of soldering tip 629. Similarly, asoldering tip 631 may be similar to soldering tip 629, but may extendand span the gap between the substrates and extend to the coating orlayer on the rear surface 612 a of the front substrate 612, and may bemoved along the edge 614 d and overhang region 632 b to establish theraceway 630. The soldering tip 631 may have a leading edge or profile631 a that engages the edge of the rear substrate to guide the solderingtip along the substrate, while the solder is applied via a solderingportion 631 b of soldering tip 631. The tabs and/or leading edge orprofile of the soldering tips function to guide the tips along therespective edge regions and to space the soldering portions of thesoldering tips an appropriate or desired amount from the substrate. Thesoldering tip 631 for the raceway 630 may include a third solderingsurface for applying the solder along the outer perimeter region of themetallic band 619 along the respective edge of the front substrate. Thesoldering tip or tips 629, 631 may then be guided and moved along theopposite edges and may apply the ultrasonic solder therealong.

The metallic perimeter coating 619 provides an opaque, reflective stripor ring or band around the perimeter of the front substrate, such thatthe seal and electrical raceways are not viewable through the frontsubstrate. The metallic perimeter coating may comprise chromium or othermetallic electrically conductive coatings, and may be disposed over theperimeter regions of the transparent electrically conductive layer 618.The thickness of the metallic coating 619 and the thickness of thetransparent electrically conductive layer 618 (at the perimeter regionof the metallic coating) are selected to provide a desired color orappearance, and to provide sufficient conductivity at the rear surfaceof the front substrate. For example, the metallic coating may comprise achromium material and the transparent electrically conductive coatingmay comprise an ITO layer (or other transparent electrically conductivelayer, such as a tin oxide or doped tin oxide coating or a zinc oxidecoating with various percentages of dopants, or an aluminum oxidecoating or the like).

It may be desirable for the perimeter band to have a custom designed orselected spectral appearance in reflection. One benefit of such a customband can be to give a spectral match/color match or a spectral/colorcontrast to any surrounding mirror assembly structure (such as a bezelor housing in an exterior mirror assembly). Further, since the perimeterband is not electro-optically active, it may be desirable to select aspectral reflectivity that passively attenuates or relieves theperceived glare from trailing headlights. In this regard, a spectralreflectivity in the blue region of the visible light electromagneticspectrum may be chosen, or a light gold or copper appearance with aspectral reflectivity more toward the green portion of the visible lightelectromagnetic spectrum. Importantly, it is desirable that the photopicreflectivity (such as measured via SAE J964a, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference, as known in the automotive mirror art)be at least 40 percent R, more preferably at least 45 percent R and mostpreferably at least 50 percent R, so that the perimeter band issufficiently reflecting to satisfy driver and regulatory needs.Optionally, the perimeter band may be constructed to have little to anynoticeable spectral character, and thus may appear to an observer to beof the same silvery appearance as the bleached spectral appearance ofthe central electro-optically active area of the reflective elementassembly. Optionally, for exterior mirrors, the spectral band of theperimeter band of a reflective element assembly can match the color orspectral appearance of a non-electro-optic passenger side mirror (suchas, for example, if the passenger side mirror has a titanium reflector,then the perimeter band has a titanium metal appearance, or if thepassenger side mirror has a chromium reflector, then the perimeter bandmay have a chromium metal appearance, or if the passenger side mirrorhas a bluish tint reflector, then the perimeter band has a bluish tintor appearance or the like).

For example, if the ITO layer is approximately 150 nm thick and thechromium layer is approximately 80 nm thick, the appearance of theperimeter band or ring will have more of a gold like tint or color;while if the ITO layer is approximately 98 nm thick and the chromiumlayer is approximately 80 nm thick, the appearance of the perimeter bandor ring will be blue or have a bluish tint or color. Other thicknessesand/or other materials (such as other metallic coatings, such asaluminum, silver, rhodium, and/or alloys thereof and/or otherthicknesses of ITO or refractive indices of ITO and/or other transparentconducting oxides, such as zinc oxide doped with aluminum oxide or thelike) may be selected to provide different colors or appearances. Forexample, for a generally silver or neutral appearance of the perimeterband, an ITO layer having a thickness of approximately 120 nm and achromium band having a thickness of approximately 80 nm may be disposedon the rear surface of the front substrate. For certain color bands, thethinner ITO coatings, such as less than 100 nm, such as, for example, a98 nm thick ITO coating for a blue perimeter band, may result in anundesirable increase in the sheet resistance across the transparentelectrically conductive coating, such as an increase to about 20 ohmsper square, whereby it may be desirable to have an additional ITO layerdisposed over the perimeter band and initial thinner ITO coating tobring the overall thickness of the ITO layers to around 150 nm, in orderto achieve the desired sheet resistance (such as about 10 to 12 ohms persquare or thereabouts, or lower) and thus the desired performance (suchas the desired speed to color) of the reflective element assembly.

Optionally, if it is desired to avoid the spectral interference effectof the ITO layer between the metallic band and the front substrate, themetallic band may be disposed directly on the perimeter rear surface ofthe front substrate and the ITO layer (or other transparent electricallyconductive layer) may then be disposed over the rear surface of thesubstrate and over the perimeter metallic band (which may provide ametallic or silver appearance if disposed directly on the rear surfaceof the front substrate). Likewise, if the selected thickness of thecoatings (to achieve the desired color or appearance of the perimeterband) reduces the conductivity at the substrate surface (and thusincreases the sheet resistance) to an undesirable level, an additionalITO layer may be disposed over the perimeter band and initial ITO layerto provide the desired thickness of the ITO layer while providing thedesired appearance or color of the perimeter band.

Optionally, other interference effects may be implemented to provide theselected or desired color or appearance of the perimeter band withoutaffecting the thickness of the transparent electrically conductivecoating (ITO coating or the like). For example, a layer of chromiumoxide (or other material having a high refractive index) may bereactively sputtered on the perimeter band region of the rear surface ofthe front substrate, and the perimeter metallic band (such as chromium,titanium, aluminum and/or the like) may be deposited over the highrefractive layer or chromium oxide layer. In such an application, an ITOcoating (or other substantially transparent electrically conductivecoating) may be deposited over the perimeter metallic band and at leastpartially over the transparent electrically conductive coating on therear surface of the substrate, in order to provide a conductive trace orconnection between the perimeter band and the central region (theelectro-optically active area or region) of the substrate surface, sincethe chromium oxide layer (disposed between the initial transparentelectrically conductive coating and the perimeter band) would functionas an insulator between the initial transparent electrically conductivecoating and the metallic perimeter band. The thickness of the highrefractive layer may be selected to provide the desired color or tint orappearance to the perimeter band (optionally, if the silver or neutralcolor is desired, the metallic band may be disposed directly on theperimeter region of the rear surface of the substrate). Optionally,multiple layers of conductive oxides or the like may be applied toprovide a desired interference affect and thus color or appearance atthe perimeter band. For example, a combination or stack of oxidescomprising materials having different high and low refractive indicesmay be stacked upon one another to provide alternating refractiveindices to spectrally tune the metallic band to the desired color ortint or appearance (such as utilizing principles described inInternational Publication No. WO 2004/026633, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference). After the high refractive layer (orlayers having alternating high and low or different refractive indices)and metallic layers are disposed around the perimeter of the rearsurface of the front substrate, the substrate may be removed from theband coating fixture (such as the fixture discussed below) and thetransparent electrically conductive coating (such as an ITO coatinghaving a thickness of about 150 nm or the like) may be deposited overthe entire rear surface of the substrate and over the perimeter band.

Such an approach allows for the desired thickness of the transparentelectrically conductive coating or layer (and thus the desired sheetresistance across the substrate surface, such as 10 to 12 ohms persquare or thereabouts), without affecting the color or appearance of theperimeter band. The thickness of the high refractive layer may beselected to provide the desired appearance of the perimeter band withoutvarying the thickness of the transparent electrically conductive coatingand thus without compromising the performance (such as the speed tocolor or darken) of the reflective element assembly, and withoutrequiring an additional coating of the transparent electricallyconductive coating to achieve the desired thickness (such as around 150nm or thereabouts) and sheet resistance (such as around 10 to 12 ohmsper square or thereabouts). The color of the perimeter band thus may nolonger be dependent on the thickness of the transparent electricallyconductive layer. Such an approach also allows for varying the color ofthe perimeter band (such as for different applications or options or thelike) without varying the performance of the mirror and withoutrequiring an additional coating step or the like. The changeover fromone color to another may thus be made by changing the thickness of (oreliminating) the high refractive index perimeter coating around theperimeter of the rear surface of the front substrate.

Thus, in such frameless mirror applications, if the customer desires a“silvery” reflecting border or perimeter band, it may be desirable todeposit the metallic band material directly onto the second surface ofthe front substrate and then deposit the transparent electricallyconductive coating over the metallic band. The perimeter band materialmay comprise a vacuum deposited metallic coating, such as chromium,which may be a desirable choice for the border layer if depositedbetween the transparent electrically conductive coating and the secondsurface of the glass front substrate, since chromium may substantiallymatch the chromium/rhodium central portion of the rear substrate (asviewed through the electro-optic/electrochromic medium) and chromium isdurable so that a chromium band/layer may be precoated, washed, coatedwith a transparent electrically conductive coating, such as ITO or thelike, and shipped to the mirror manufacturer. The transparentelectrically conductive coating (such as ITO or the like) may bedeposited onto the chromium using standard ITO deposition coatingprocesses known in the coating arts, and/or such as described inInternational Publication No. WO 2004/042457, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference. The perimeter band may be establishedeither by masking (which provides an in-coater masking during thecoating step) or laser ablating (which is a post-deposition step) or ascreen/coat/strip process (where a resist pre-deposition is screened orprinted onto the substrate, and the perimetal band (such as chromium) iscoated onto the substrate and the resist post deposition of theperimetal band material is washed away).

Because there is no need for any edge overcoat on the front substrate byeither the transparent electrically conductive coating or the perimeterband, multiple front substrates may be cut (with a perimetal reflectingborder layer or band on each cut shape) from a larger, multi-shape sheetor lite or calotte. The fiducial markings may be included in the maskingto guide the cutting of the substrate shapes so that the perimetalreflecting border layer is aligned to the cut edges of each shape cutfrom the larger lite/calotte. Once cut, the border coated and ITO coatedshapes can be shipped and brush washed (or otherwise washed) to completethe manufacture of the reflective element assembly or cell.

With reference to FIG. 58, the front substrate shapes may be formed froma sheet or calotte or lite via a process 682, where clean calottes orlites or sheets are obtained at 684. The two or more substrate shapesare masked on the respective sheet at 686, and the perimetal band (suchas about and 800 Angstrom thick band of chromium or other thicknessesand/or materials as desired) at 688, and the mask is removed at 690. Thesubstrate shapes are then coated with the transparent electricallyconductive coating or layer (such as ITO or the like) at 692 (and thesurface of the sheet may be substantially coated with the ITO). Themultiple front substrate shapes may then be cut from the sheet at 694and the edges may be seamed or finished at 696. The cut and coated frontsubstrates or substrate shapes may then be shipped to the mirror orreflective element assembly plant or facility or location at 698, wherethe front substrates will be mated with the respective rear substratesand seal material and the like to form the completed reflective elementassemblies or cells.

The perimeter band provides an aesthetic ring or perimeter frame aroundthe perimeter of the reflective element assembly and hides or concealsthe seals and electrical connections and/or conductive epoxy or the likethat may be positioned at the overhang regions of the reflective elementassembly. After the substrates are mated together and the cell isfilled, plugged and cured, it may be desirable to finish or seam theedges of the substrates or cell, such as via belt seaming or the like,to buff out any chips, since any edge chips that may be present may bevisible or discernible at the reflective perimeter band area of thereflective element assembly. Optionally, the front substrate (eitherbefore or after the mating with the rear substrate) may have itsperimeter edges seamed or finished (such as pencil seamed or rounded) sothat there is a radius and not a sharp edge at the outer perimeter ofthe reflective element assembly.

Because the perimeter band substantially precludes viewability of theseal and the electrical connectors through the front substrate, thereflective element assembly of the present invention is suitable for aframeless or bezelless mirror assembly, where a backing plate may beadhered to the rear surface of the rear substrate and may not extendaround the perimeter edges of the front substrate so that none of thebacking plate or other components or elements are viewable at and aroundthe front substrate. The backing plate may include electrical connectorsfor electrically connecting to the electrical connectors at the rearsurface of the rear substrate (which may not have the leads attachedthereto, but may instead provide a contact area for the backing plateconnectors), such that the electrical connections may be made as thebacking plate is engaged with and adhered to the rear surface of therear substrate. Such an assembly process provides enhanced assembling ofthe mirror assemblies, since an operator need not make the separateelectrical connection before or after the backing plate is attached tothe rear substrate. Optionally, however, the electrical leads may beconnected to the connectors and may connect to a wiring harness of thebacking plate or mirror assembly. The electrical raceways or bus-barsmay be included in the heater pad such that they may contact to thefourth surface deposited bus-bars, thereby eliminating the need todispense a conductive epoxy bus-bar at the rear surface of the rearsubstrate.

Optionally, the reflective element assembly may comprise curved or bentsubstrates (such as for exterior rearview mirror assemblies), and maycomprise aspheric substrates to provide an enhanced field of viewrearward. In such applications, the reflective element assembly mayinclude a demarcation line or means (such as a dashed line or dots orthe like) formed in the reflective coating or layers that typicallycomprise the third surface reflector/conductor in the twin substratelaminate electrochromic cell construction. This demarcation line ormeans is typically conveniently established by using a laser to etchaway the coating at an outboard region of the rear substrate metalliccoating so that the demarcation line (for example, dashes or dots) runsgenerally vertically from the top to the bottom of the electrochromicmirror (and is disposed at or near an outboard portion thereof) when theEC mirror is ultimately mounted on the exterior of its intended vehicle.The demarcation line or means demarcates the outer, more sharply curved,lower radius of curvature aspheric region from the inboard (typicallyconvex curvature) main viewing portion of the electrochromic rearviewmirror. Because the perimeter band is at the second surface of thereflective element assembly, it may hide or conceal the upper and lowerends or end portions of the demarcation line established in thereflective coating or coatings on the third surface of the reflectiveelement assembly. Optionally, the perimeter coating or band of thesecond surface of the front substrate may be etched with similar dots ordashes (or the like) so that this etching matches the demarcation lineestablished on the third surface metallic reflector. This demarcationportion of the perimeter coating on the second surface is established atan upper portion of the band and at a lower portion of the band thatwill coincide with, and generally run coincident with, the demarcationline established on the third surface metallic reflector when the frontand rear substrates are juxtaposed to form the electrochromic reflectiveelement assembly. Accordingly, when the front substrate, with theperimeter band so demarcated, and the rear substrate, with thedemarcation line established across its third surface reflectivesurface, are juxtaposed and mated together, and after the reflectiveelement is mounted on the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle views thedemarcation line to continue generally uninterrupted from the centralviewing region out (via the demarcated lines/portions of the perimeterband) to the top edge and bottom edge of the electrochromic mirrorelement as it is mounted on the vehicle.

Therefore, the perimeter band may include a portion of the demarcationline formed thereon. Optionally, the demarcation line or lines or lineportions may be formed in the perimeter band and/or in the third surfacereflective coating after the substrates are mated together. Dots ordashes, or similar non-continuous demarcation lines or segments orportions, are preferred so that electrical conductivity is preservedbetween the dots and dashes established, for example, in the metallicperimeter band. For example, the demarcation line may be formed by laserablating the reflective coatings from the second and third surfaces. Anytiny contaminants that may be present after the laser ablation processmay be dispersed via a heating process. The laser ablation may occurbefore or after the reflective element assembly or cell is filled withthe electro-optic medium.

Because the reflective element is suitable for a frameless or bezellessmirror assembly, it is envisioned that the reflective element assemblymay attach to a common backplate or mirror holder, which may be commonfor different reflective element assemblies, such as different sized orshaped reflective element assemblies for different vehicles or selectedoptions or vehicle lines. The reflective element assembly thus may beselected and attached to a universal or common backplate or mirrorholder to provide different features or color schemes to the mirrordepending on the options selected for a particular application orvehicle, such as utilizing aspects of the mirror assemblies and mirrorholders described in International Publication Nos. WO 2004/103772; WO2004/009408, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/319,408, filedJul. 19, 2002; and/or International Publication No. WO 2004/009407, andU.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/319,407, filed Jul. 19, 2002,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

For example, a common back plate or mirror holder may have a standardactuator attachment portion or ring, and may optionally include a commonheater pad (or the heater pad may be provided or established on the rearor fourth surface of the reflective element assembly, as discussedbelow), and may include the electrical connectors integral therewith ormolded thereon. The common back plate, because it may be sized to haveone or more dimensions that are smaller than the rear substrate and thusrecessed away from the perimeter regions of the rear substrate, may beattached to or adhered to different reflective element assemblies (ortwo or more common backplates may be provided to accommodate smaller andlarger mirror sizes). The common backplate or backplates may be sized toprovide sufficient surface area for sufficient adherence to the fourthsurface of the respective reflective element assembly, and may notextend to the perimeter regions of the rear substrate so as to avoidbeing viewable at the perimeter regions. The electrical connectionsbetween the backplate circuitry or wiring and the connectors or bus-barsor wiring of the reflective element assembly may be made after thecommon backplate is attached to or adhered to the fourth surface of thereflective element assembly, or as the backplate is attached to oradhered to the reflective element assembly (such as discussed below),and then the reflective element assembly may be finished via aprotective coating or the like being applied to the rear surface andelectrical connections at the rear of the reflective element assembly orcell. The backplate may also include routings or clips for routing andretaining the wiring along the backplate to reduce or relieve strain onthe wires. The common backplate and/or heater pad thus provides adeproliferation of parts at the reflective element assemblymanufacturing facility and thus may achieve reduced assembly costs andenhanced assembly processes.

Referring now to FIGS. 39 and 40, a rear substrate 614′ for anelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element assembly (such as foran interior or exterior mirror assembly) may have a metallic reflectiveconductive coating 620 disposed on the front surface 614 a′ of thesubstrate (such as the surface that will become the third surface of thereflective element assembly or cell when the cell is assembled), and atleast a portion of the third surface conductive coating 620 may continuefrom the third surface onto a portion 614 b′ of the perimeter edge 615′(where the perimeter edge or edges or edge portions 615′ of the rearsubstrate are between the third surface and the fourth surface of therear substrate) so as to wrap around or coat an edge or edge portion 614b′ of the substrate 614′, such that one of the edges is coated by aportion 620 a of the metallic coating (such as chromium and/or rhodiumor the like), similar to the substrate 614 discussed above, in order toestablish electrical continuity between the third surface and the edgeportion 614 b′. The other edges 614 d′ of substrate 614′ may not becoated by the coating 620. The rear surface 614 c′ of the substrate 614′(the fourth surface of the assembled reflective element assembly) mayalso have a conductive coating 634 (such as chromium or the like)disposed over a portion of the rear surface, and a portion 634 a of thefourth surface conductive coating may continue from the fourth surfaceonto a portion of the perimeter edge so as to wrap around or coat theedge portion or edge region 614 b′, in order to establish electricalcontinuity between the fourth surface and the edge portion. Thewraparound portion 634 a of the fourth surface conductive coating 634may overlap or overcoat the wraparound coating 620 a at an overlapregion of the edge 614 b′ (the fourth surface conductive coating mayoverlap the third surface conductive coating at the overlap region orthe third surface conductive coating may overlap the fourth surfaceconductive coating or the coatings may otherwise overlap one another orat least partially coincide along at least a portion of the perimeteredge, without affecting the scope of the present invention), in order toestablish electrical continuity between the fourth surface conductivecoating on the fourth surface and the third surface conductive coatingon the third surface of the rear substrate. The rear substrate 614′ thusprovides a conductive wraparound that provides a conductive connectionand electrical continuity from the rear or fourth surface 614 c′ of thesubstrate around the edge 614 b′ and to the front or third surface 614a′. As can be seen in FIG. 39, the coatings or coating portions 634 aand 620 a of the overlap region may extend substantially (such as, forexample, at least 5 mm or more or less) along the respective edge oredge region or portion of the substrate. The coating 620 at the frontsurface 614 a′ thus may be energized or powered via an electricalconnector 624 (such as an electrical connector soldered or otherwiseattached or connected to the rear surface conductive coating 634) at therear surface 614 c′ of the substrate. The double coating or overlap 636along the edge 614 b′ provides a robust conductive coating along theedge of the substrate. The electrical connector 624 may be secured orconnected to the fourth surface coating 634 via a solder joint 623, andmay be operable to power the third surface conductive coating viaelectrical conduction between the fourth surface conductive coating andthe third surface conductive coating at the overlap region. Anotherelectrical connector or connection (not shown in FIG. 40) may beprovided to power the second surface conductive coating of thereflective element assembly.

The fourth surface coating on the fourth surface of the rear substratemay be large enough for making an electrical connection thereto, butneed not extend substantially along or over the fourth surface of thesubstrate. For example, a distance of about 1 cm to about 5 cm ispreferred, with the particular or selected dimension depending onvarious parameters, such as the material used for the third surfaceconductive coating (for example, silver is more conductive than chromiumor rhodium, such that a smaller connection area/bus bar is required),and/or such as the thickness of the conductive coating or coatings (forexample, a thicker coating is more conductive, such that a smallerdimension connection area is required). Other dimensions may be selecteddepending on the particular application, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention.

The coating 620 may be deposited on the substrate in a vacuum depositionchamber or the like. After the third surface metallic coating isdeposited on the third surface, the substrate 614′ may be flipped orturned over and the fourth surface or wraparound coating may be disposedor deposited on the fourth surface and along the already coated edge ofthe substrate. The fourth surface may be masked such that the coating634 may only be applied over the perimeter region of the fourth surfaceand generally along and at least partially over the coated edge portionof the substrate. The third and fourth surface conductive coatings maycomprise similar materials (and may be established in a unitaryoperation) or dissimilar materials (and may be established in separateoperations). Optionally, the conductive coating 634 may comprise adifferent conductive material than the third surface conductive coating620. For example, the conductive coating 634 may have a higherconductivity characteristic, such that a thinner layer may be applied tothe rear surface and edge to achieve the desired conductivity. Thefourth surface conductive coating may comprise any suitable conductivelayer or coating, such as a vacuum deposited electrically conductivecoating (such as a sputtered metallic coating or the like), anelectrically conductive polymeric coating (such as a conductive epoxycoating or the like), an electrically conductive solder coating, and/oran electrically conducting frit coating and/or the like.

With reference to FIGS. 41 and 42, a reflective element assembly 610′may include front substrate 612 and rear substrate 614′. An oppositerear surface coating 635 and edge or wraparound coating 635 a may beapplied over and along the perimeter of the rear surface and over andalong the edge 614 d′ of the rear substrate 614′, such that oppositeconductive coatings 634, 634 a and 635, 635 a are disposed alongopposite perimeter and edge regions of the substrate 614′. A conductiveepoxy 638 (or similar conductive polymeric means or the like) may bedisposed at the rear surface coating 635 and edge coating 635 a and mayextend into contact with the conductive band or layer 619 (or conductivelayer 618 if disposed over the band or layer 619, as discussed above),such that the rear surface coating 635 is electrically connected to theconductive layers at the rear surface 612 a of the front substrate 612.Optionally, an electrically isolating or insulating material (such asthe insulating material 642 discussed below with respect to FIG. 46) maybe disposed along the overlap region of the third and fourth surfaceconductive coatings and within and at least partially along the overhangregion of the mirror element (where the perimeter edge of the rearsubstrate is recessed from a corresponding portion of the perimeter edgeof the front substrate), in order to electrically isolate the secondsurface conductive coating and/or the perimeter band from the third andfourth surface conductive coatings and thus to limit or substantiallypreclude electrical shorting of the mirror reflective element assemblywhen powered.

Optionally, a conductive pad or element or foil 640 a, 640 b (such as athin metallic pad or foil, such as a thin copper foil or pad or aconductive rubber pad or the like) may be adhered or otherwise securedto the respective rear surface conductive layer 634, 635, and anelectrical connector 624, 626 may extend therefrom for electricalconnection to a lead or harness or the like. Preferably, the connectorsor leads may be soldered or crimped onto the conductive pads or foilsbefore the pads or foils are attached or adhered to the rear surface ofthe rear substrate, so that the heating and soldering process will notdegrade the adhesive or epoxy used to secure or adhere the pads or foilsto the rear surface of the substrate. The pads or foils may comprisecontinuous sheets or strips or may include holes or may be segmented toallow for more of the conductive epoxy to contact the rear surface ofthe substrate to enhance the adhesion of the pads or foils to thesubstrate. Optionally, the pads or foils may include a connector, suchas a male or female connector to provide a plug/socket type connectionat the rear of the reflective element assembly.

Optionally, the conductive pad 640 a may comprise a generally L-shapedelement, with a substantially flat pad at the rear surface of thesubstrate and a bent arm or extension that extends partially along theedge coating at the edge 614 b of the substrate, while the conductivepad 640 b may be similar to the pad 640 a, but the arm or extension mayextend to contact the conductive coatings on the rear surface of thefront substrate and may further include a tab or extension that bendsand extends partially along the perimeter surface of the conductivecoatings on the rear surface of the front substrate, in order to enhancethe electrical connection between the pads and the respective conductivecoatings. The tab or foil may be attached to the rear surface of thesubstrate via adhesion, such as via transfer tape or double sided tapeor the like, or via other attachment means.

A conductive or non-conductive epoxy 625 may be disposed at theelectrical connector to further retain the connector at the rear surfaceof the reflective element assembly and to reduce strain on the connectorduring assembly of the reflective element assembly and mirror assembly.The conductive epoxy or epoxies may be selected to provide a desiredresistivity, such as, for example, about 0.005 to about 0.0005 ohm.cm.Examples of suitable conductive epoxies include 3140XL, 3050 and/or 126Bmaterials available from Emmerson & Cumming of Randolph, Mass., and/orH31 materials available from Epoxy Technology of Billerica, Mass.,and/or the like. Optionally, the wire or leads or wiring harness may bedirectly connected to a conductive epoxy applied at the rear surface ofthe substrate and at least partially over the fourth surface coating.

After the electrical connections are made, a conformal coating may beapplied to the rear surface of the reflective element assembly. Theconformal coat may be sprayed, jetted, dispensed or brushed onto thereflective element assembly. The conformal coat may comprise a clearcoating or an opaque coating, and may be cured via various curing means,such as heat, moisture or UV curing means or the like. The conformalcoat protects the bus-bars and the contact points at the rear or back ofthe reflective element assembly. Optionally, for applications where anopaque or black coating is desired to conceal the bus-bars and the like,the conformal coating may comprise an opaque or black coating, or theconformal coating may comprise a clear coating, and a black coating orpaint may be applied over the conformal coating to conceal the bus-bars,contact points and the like. It is desirable to keep the black or opaquecoating or paint away from the perimeter edges of the substrates(particularly for pencil seamed edges where the dark or black layer maybe viewable), so it may be desirable to apply a grey coating or layerfirst, and then a black or dark layer or coating or paint over the firstlayer or coating. The paint may be applied over the protective coatingand/or over the edges of the glass substrates.

By utilizing the concepts of the present invention, the use of a bezelto surround the edge of the reflective element assembly may be obviated,so that a viewer looking at the mirror reflective element sees andenjoys the utility of the entire coated surface area. Thus, it isdesirable to provide an opaque or dark coating or paint at the visibleedge of the reflective element assembly. Optionally, the cut edge of thefront substrate (that may be pencil edged or seamed or otherwisefinished or seamed) may be coated or covered by a light absorbingmaterial so that the viewability or discernibility of any imperfectionsin the cut edge is reduced or substantially precluded or eliminated.Thus, the cut edge may be painted with a paint or lacquer, or a ceramicfrit may be applied and fused thereon, or a tape or thin polymeric orplastic film may be applied around the edge, in order to cosmeticallyfinish the viewable edge of the reflective element. In this regard, adark colored paint may be preferably applied around and along theperimeter edge of the front substrate of the reflective elementassembly.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 43 and 44, the rear substrate614″ of a reflective element assembly 610″ may include a conductive pador element 640 b′ (such as a metallic pad or element, such as a copperpad or the like) positioned at or adhered to the rear surface 614 c″ andgenerally near or at the perimeter edge 614 d″. The conductive epoxy638′ may be disposed over a portion of the conductive pad 640 b′ andalong the edge 614 d″ of the substrate and may span the gap between thesubstrates and contact the conductive coatings 619, 618 at the rearsurface 612 a of the front substrate 612. The electrical connector 626may be connected to the conductive pad and may be electrically connectedto the power source or control or circuitry to provide current to theconductive coatings at the rear surface of the front substrate. Similarto rear substrate 614′ discussed above, the conductive pad 640 a may besecured to the rear surface coating 634 of rear substrate 614″, and maybe electrically connected to the electrical connector 624, as describedabove. The wraparound or overlap coatings at the opposite edge 614 b″ ofsubstrate 614″ may also be substantially similar to the coatings onsubstrate 614′, such that a detailed discussion of those coatings willnot be repeated herein.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 45 and 46, a reflective elementassembly 610′″ includes front substrate 612 and rear substrate 614′″.Similar to rear substrate 614″ discussed above, rear substrate 614′″includes a conductive pad or element 640 b′ attached to rear surface 614c′″ and at or near or generally along the perimeter edge 614 d′″.Likewise, rear substrate 614′″ includes a conductive pad or element 640a′ attached to the rear surface 614 c′″ and at or near or generallyalong the perimeter edge 614 b′″ of substrate 614′″. Conductive epoxy638′ is disposed partially over conductive pad 640 b′ and along edge 614d′″ and contacts the conductive layers 619, 618 at the rear surface ofthe front substrate 612, in a similar manner as described above.Likewise, a conductive epoxy 639 is disposed partially over conductivepad 640 a′ and along edge coating 620 a to provide electrical connectionbetween the connector 624 at conductive pad 640 a′ and the third surfacecoating 620. An electrically insulating layer or member or element 642is provided at the outer regions of the perimeter band 619 and along theseal 622 to electrically isolate the conductive epoxy 639 from theperimeter band 619 and conductive coating 618 at the rear surface of thefront substrate 612.

Optionally, the front surface 614 a of the rear substrate 614 may becoated with the conductive coating in a vacuum deposition chamber orsputter coating chamber or the like. As shown in FIG. 47, the substrate614 may be placed in a fixture 650 that has an enlarged openingtherethrough relative to a dimension of the substrate (such as a heightor width of the substrate). The substrate may be placed in the fixturesuch that a masking and supporting lip 652 of the fixture engages aperimeter region of the front surface along the perimeter of thesubstrate except along the perimeter at the edge 614 b of the substrate.The edge 614 b corresponds to an enlarged opening or area of the fixture650, such that a gap 654 is defined between the edge 614 b of thesubstrate and the fixture 650. The substrate may be retained in positionin the fixture 650 via a positioning bridge or retaining bridge 656 andpositioning elements or arms 658. The positioning bridge 656 andpositioning elements 658 may be substantially similar to the bridge 138and spring-loaded arms 138 b discussed above, such that a detaileddiscussion of the bridge will not be repeated herein.

When the substrate 614 is positioned in the recess and against themasking lip 652, the supporting arms and bridge are positioned at thesubstrate to support and retain the substrate. The substrate holdingfixture and substrate (or substrates) may then be placed in a coatingchamber, such as a vacuum deposition chamber or the like, such as asputter deposition chamber, and the metallic coating may be depositedover the front surface 614 a of the substrate 614 except in theperimeter region that is masked by the masking lip 652. Because of thegap 654 between the edge 614 b of substrate 614 and the holding fixture650, the coating particles/material may be deposited on the edge 614 bas well, so as to provide the wraparound coating along the edge 614 b ofthe substrate 614.

If a rear surface coating and/or wraparound coating is desired (such asrear surface and edge coatings 634, 634 a discussed above), the holdingfixture may be flipped over or turned over for coating the rear surface614 c of the substrate. In such an application, an additional mask ormasking plate or the like may be positioned at the rear surface (and maybe held in place by the positioning arms) to avoid coating of the rearsurface except along the perimeter region at and along the coated edge614 b of the substrate. Optionally, the holding fixture and substrate orsubstrates may be positioned in a coating chamber where the coatings maybe applied from both directions so as to coat both surfaces (or portionsthereof) at substantially the same time. Desirably, the coating of bothsides occurs via a single unitary vacuum operation or apparatus, such asin a single deposition chamber (where the coating material may bedeposited from targets at opposite sides of the holder and substrates)or in sequential chambers where the fixture and substrate/substrates aremoved from one chamber to the next as part of a coating process. Thepresent invention thus contemplates the efficient establishment of thefront or third surface coating and the rear or fourth surface coating inone chamber or via a unitary coating process, as opposed to multiplecoating processes via separate chambers, and thus may achieve reducedcapital costs for the coating process.

For example, the holding fixture and substrate or substrates may bemoved from one coating chamber to one or more subsequent chambers (suchas via a conveyor or the like) and may be coated with a particularcoating at each chamber. For example, one chamber may deposit anadhesion layer (such as a chromium layer or the like) on one or bothsurfaces, and a second or subsequent chamber may deposit a conductivelayer (such as aluminum, titanium or the like for the front surface andsuch as copper for the rear surface), and a third or subsequent chambermay deposit a passivation layer (such as a chromium layer or the like)on one or both surfaces, and a fourth or subsequent chamber may deposita reflective layer (such as rhodium or the like) to the front surface.Multiple coatings thus may be deposited on one or both surfaces whilethe substrate is in the holding fixture, such that the coating processreduces the handling of the substrate between applications or coatings.

The multi-stack coatings (such as a conductive layer of aluminum ortitanium or copper or silver or the like disposed or sandwiched betweenlayers of chromium) may be deposited on the third and/or fourth surfacesto provide increased conductivity, without having to provide a thicklayer of chromium (since chromium itself is not so highly conductive as,for example, copper or silver, and thus may be deposited as a thickcoating or layer to achieve the desired conductivity). The first orbottom thin chromium layer provides the desired adhesion, while theconductive layer increases the conductivity at the band and the topchromium layer provides the desired passivation layer. A top layer ofrhodium (or other reflective coating) may then be applied to the secondchromium layer or passivation layer at the third surface to provide thedesired reflectance. The desired conductivity of the layers thus may beachieved with multiple layers of multiple coatings that have a totalphysical thickness that is less than a similarly conductive single layerof chromium.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 48, a holding and masking fixture660 may receive and support a front substrate 612 and may position andhold a mask or plate 662 over a central region of the rear surface 612 aof the front substrate 612 for coating of the perimeter metallic band619 around the perimeter regions of the rear surface 612 a. Maskingfixture 660 includes a recess or aperture for positioning substrate 612therein. Masking fixture may include multiple tabs or positioning ridgesalong the sidewall of the aperture to properly locate the substrate 612within the aperture. A positioning bridge 664 and positioning arms 666(such as spring-loaded arms as described above) may be positioned at oneside of the fixture so that the arms 666 engage and urge the substratetoward and into engagement with the mask 662. As can be seen in FIG. 48,the mask 662 is positioned at and urged against the rear surface 612 aof substrate 612 via positioning arms 668 (such as spring-loaded arms asdescribed above) extending from a positioning bridge 670. The substrate612 is thus retained within the holding fixture with the mask 662 urgedinto tight engagement with the rear surface 612 a of substrate 612.

In the illustrated embodiment, mask 662 comprises a thin glass plate(which may be curved to match the curvature of the rear substrate) thatmay be attached to the positioning arms 668. Preferably, the perimeteredges of the glass plate mask 662 are chamfered to provide a sharp edgealong the substrate surface 612 a to reduce or minimize any unevennessof the edges of the coating after the coating is applied to theperimeter region of the substrate surface. The glass mask may be cut viaany suitable cutting means, such as water jet cutting or the like, andthe edges may be finished to provide the desired sharp edge (to reduceshadow effects), such as via diamond wheel grinding or belt seaming orthe like. Preferably, the engaging surface 662 a of the glass mask issmooth to allow a tight engagement of the glass mask to the glasssubstrate surface, while the opposite surface 662 b is sand blasted orbead blasted or otherwise roughened so that the coating particles willbond or attach to the surface 662 b and thus will reduce flaking orparticulates that may otherwise flake off of a smooth surface. Suchflaking may cause imperfections in the coating on the substrate surface.

The substrate or substrates may be placed in the appropriate fixture andsecured therein via the bridges and spring loaded arms or the like, suchthat the substrates are held in place and the mask or masks are tightlyurged against the glass surface of the substrate to provide a tight maskand thus a sharp edge to the masked area. For example, the substrate orsubstrates may be placed in the recess or recesses of the holdingfixture, and the bridge or bridges (with the appropriate mask and/orholding arms/pads) may be closed or moved (such as lowered or pivoted orthe like) over the substrate and secured in place at the fixture,whereby the mask and holding arms provide a spring-loaded contact andurging against the substrate (from one or both sides of the substrate)to substantially hold the substrate in place at the fixture. Thespring-loaded/urged contact between the glass surface and the maskprovides for an enhanced masking edge, and firmly or securely holds thesubstrate in the fixture and thus allows the holding fixture andsubstrates to be picked up or otherwise moved without affecting thelocation of the mask at the substrate.

The holding fixtures and substrates of the present invention thus may beloaded and moved into a coating chamber (such as via a manual loadingand/or moving operation or via automated or robotic loading/movingprocesses or means) for coating one or more layers or coatings thereon.The coatings applied in one or more coating chambers may comprise thesame coating material or different coating materials. The central partof the rear surface of the rear substrate may be contacted or touched,such as by a suction cup or the like, to load and/or unload thesubstrates in to and/or out from the fixture, since that area may not becoated. The fixture may be placed in a horizontal sputter chamber, wherethe coating or coatings may be sputtered and deposited from above and/orbelow the fixture and substrates, or the fixture may be placed in avertical sputter chamber, where the coating or coatings may be sputteredand deposited from one or both sides of the fixture and substrates, ormay be placed in other orientations, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

Therefore, the present invention provides an electro-optic orelectrochromic reflective element assembly suitable for use in abezelless or frameless mirror assembly, such as a frameless exteriorrearview mirror assembly. Although shown as substantially flat glasssubstrates, the substrates may be curved to provide a concave reflectiveelement suitable for an exterior rearview mirror assembly. Thereflective element assembly provides electrical connections at the rearsurface of the rear substrate, where the connections are not viewablethrough the reflective element assembly. The perimeter metallic bandaround the rear surface of the front substrate conceals or hides theseal and electrical connections and provides an electrically conductiveraceway, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance forthe frameless mirror assembly.

Optionally, and as shown in FIGS. 49 and 50, a front substrate 612′(such as a front substrate for an electro-optic reflective elementassembly or such as a substrate for a prismatic reflective element) mayinclude a perimeter or perimetal border coating 619′ on its secondsurface 612 b′ (opposite to the first surface 612 a′ that faces thedriver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is installed in thevehicle). The perimetal coating 619′ includes an enlarged area or region619 a′, such as along a lower region of the reflective element. The seal(which seals the electrochromic medium between the front substrate 612′and the rear substrate) is disposed between the perimeter regions of thesubstrates and generally along the perimetal coating 619′, and isgenerally concealed or hidden by the coating 619′ so that the seal isnot readily viewable through the front substrate by an occupant of thevehicle, such as described above and such as described in U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004; andSer. No. 60/638,250, filed Dec. 21, 2004, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference. The seal thus may follow the shape of the coating,and may follow or be disposed along the bump or enlarged area or region619 a′, such that the seal and reflective element may define or providea region outside of the seal but within the perimeter of the frontsubstrate for positioning one or more accessories or the like. Theaccessories, such as sensors 680 a, 680 b, may be disposed or positionedat the coating 619′ and outside of the seal, such that the reflectiveelement assembly may include such accessories or sensors or inputswithin the perimeter regions of the front substrate, thereby providing agenerally flush or frameless reflective element and mirror assembly.

The perimetal coating 619′ provides an outer area or region at the backsurface of the front substrate and includes the bump or enlarged area orregion 619 a′ outward from the seal (and thus not behind anelectro-optically dimmable portion of the mirror reflector) forpositioning sensors, such as glare sensors, photo sensors, touch sensorsor proximity sensors or the like. The perimetal or border coating orlayer may comprise a reflective coating (such as a metallic thin filmcoating) or a non-reflective coating (such as a dark paint or ink orfrit or a non-reflecting or poorly reflecting film), and may besubstantially opaque or may be at least partially light transmitting (orthere may be a local region within the bump or enlarged area or region619 a′ that is at least partially light transmitting so that a photosensor can be disposed at this local light transmitting region and havea field of view through the perimetal or border coating and so detect,for example, glaring headlights from a rear approaching vehicle when theessentially frameless interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted inthe interior cabin of the host vehicle), without affecting the scope ofthe present invention.

The border or perimetal coating 619′, including its portion forming bumpor enlarged area or region 619 a′, is preferably selected so as to atleast partially (and more preferably substantially, and most preferablycompletely) conceal or hide the seal that is disposed around theelectrochromic medium and between the substrates. For applications witha glare sensor (where the sensor senses light from the rear of thevehicle and thus receives light through the front substrate), thecoating is at least partially light transmitting at least in the regionwhere the glare sensor is positioned. The sensors may be arranged on theenlarged region above and below one another (as shown in FIG. 50), ormay be arranged side by side one another or in any other desired orappropriate pattern or arrangement, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention. The sensors may comprise glare sensors or photosensors (such as sensors of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,793,690 and 5,193,029, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference), or touch or proximitysensors (such as the sensors of the types described in InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/058540; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/956,749, filed Oct. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,446,924; and/or Ser.No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference).

The perimeter coating thus provides a coating or portion for the seal tobe disposed along, in order to shape the seal so that a region is formedoutside of the seal but within the perimeter of the front substrate. Thecoating may thus provide an outer area for a function, such as touchsensing, proximity sensing, light sensing and/or glare sensing viasensors positioned at the outer area. The coating and substrate of thepresent invention thus are suitable for use in a frameless mirrorassembly, while providing functionality at the reflective element. Asdiscussed above, the front substrate may be offset or larger than therear substrate so as to provide an overhang region along the upperand/or lower perimeter regions. The accessory or sensor or sensors maybe positioned along the overhang region, such as along the loweroverhang region.

Thus, in accordance with this aspect of the present invention, anessentially frameless interior mirror assembly (whether anelectrochromic mirror assembly or a prismatic mirror assembly) can beformed where a user actuation interface is provided as a human machineinterface, without having to create a gondola protrusion or bulge belowthe overall styling line defined by the interior mirror shape itself(and thus avoids any interference with a driver's forward field of viewthrough the windshield of the vehicle), or without having to create aneyebrow protrusion or bulge above the overall styling line defined bythe interior mirror shape itself (and thus avoids any interference witha driver's forward field of view through the windshield of the vehicle).However, should such protrusions or bulges be small/compact (less thanabout 1.5 cm protrusion from the line of the mirror shape preferred;less than about 1 cm more preferred; and less than about 0.75 cm mostpreferred), they can optionally be used alone or in combination with theperimetal/border coating (including its portion forming bump or enlargedarea or region) of the present invention.

Although shown and described as being a coating around the perimeter ofan electrochromic reflective element assembly, the perimetal coating maybe disposed around the perimeter edge or region of other reflectiveelements, such as prismatic reflective elements or the like. Whendisposed on prismatic reflective elements, the coating may only bedisposed at the region at which the sensors are positioned, since thecoating around the other portions or regions is not necessary, sincethere is no seal to hide or conceal on a prismatic reflective elementassembly. Also, when a perimetal coating (including its portion formingbump or enlarged area or region) is used with an electro-optic mirrorcell (such as an electrochromic mirror cell) that comprises a frontsubstrate and a rear substrate sandwiching an electro-optic medium andspaced apart by a perimetal seal, the sensors, such as a photosensor andone or more proximity sensors, can be disposed behind the rear substrate(i.e. behind the fourth surface of the twin-substrate laminate) or therear substrate can be notched at a portion that corresponds with andjuxtapositions with the bump or enlarged area or region of the coating,so that the sensors can be disposed directly behind the front substrate(the second surface of the twin-substrate laminate).

With reference to FIGS. 51-53, various processes or methods formanufacturing the reflective element assemblies for the frameless mirrorassemblies are shown. As shown in FIG. 51, a method 700 formanufacturing the reflective element assembly 610, discussed above,includes procuring and/or cutting the rear shape or substrate at 702 andprocuring and/or cutting the front shape or substrate at 704. The rearand front substrates are pencil seamed (or otherwise seamed or ground toprovide the desired edge configuration for the substrates) and/or washedat 706, 708, respectively. The rear substrate is placed in a fixture at710, and the third surface is coated with the desired coatings (such aschromium and/or rhodium) at 712. The rear surface of the front substrateis coated with a transparent electrically conductive coating (such asITO or the like) at 714, and placed in a fixture (such as fixture 660discussed above) at 716, and coated with the metallic (such as chromiumor the like) band at 718.

After the coating processes, the main seal is dispensed or disposedaround the perimeter and the substrates are juxtaposed and matedtogether to define the interpane cavity at 720. The seal is then curedat 722, and the ultrasonic solder bus-bars are applied along therespective edges of the assembly at 724. The cavity or cell is thenfilled with the electro-optic or electrochromic medium and plugged at726. Typically, before the substrates are juxtaposed, a plurality ofplastic beads may be dispensed to provide the appropriate interspacingor gap between the cells as they are joined together and as the seal iscured. After the cell is filled and plugged, the cell passes through anultrasonic bath at 728 that includes a wraparound fixture around theperimeter of the cell to protect the perimeter band. The electro-opticmedium or electrochromic medium, such as a solid polymer matrix (SPM) isthen cured at 730.

The electrical contacts or contact points or connectors may be cleanedat 732, and the wire harness or leads may be soldered to the connectorsat 734. The encapsulate, such as a conductive or non-conductive epoxy oradhesive or other encapsulating material, may be applied to the contactpoints at 736 to reduce strain on the soldered joint. A conformalcoating may be applied at 738 to coat and protect the bus-bars andcontact points, and may be cured at 740 via various curing means, suchas heat, moisture or UV curing means. The heater pad and back-plate maybe attached or adhered to the rear surface of the rear substrate of thereflective element assembly at 742 to complete the assembly processes ofthe reflective element assembly.

With reference to FIG. 52, the reflective element assembly 610′ may bemanufactured and assembled in a similar manner as described above withrespect to FIG. 51, except for the changes noted herein. The similarsteps or processes of the method or process 700′ are shown in FIG. 52with the same reference numbers as in FIG. 51 and as discussed above.After the front surface of the rear substrate is coated at 712, the rearsubstrate may be placed in a fixture (or the fixture may be flipped orthe substrate and fixture may otherwise be arranged) at 744, and thefourth surface bus-bars may be coated at 746. After the main seal isdispensed and the substrates are mated together at 720 and the seal iscured at 722, the metallic foils or elements or pads may be applied at748, and the conductive epoxy may be dispensed and cured at 750. Thereflective element assembly is then filled and plugged at 726 andfurther processed as discussed above.

With reference to FIG. 53, the reflective element assembly 610′″ may bemanufactured and assembled in a similar manner as described above withrespect to FIG. 51, except for the changes noted herein. The similarsteps or processes of the method or process 700″ are shown in FIG. 53with the same reference numbers as in FIG. 51 and as discussed above.After the main seal is dispensed and the substrates are mated togetherat 720 and after the seal is cured at 722, the metallic foil or elementsor pads may be applied at 748. The insulating layer or mask (such asinsulating layer or mask 642 discussed above) may then be applied andcured at 752, and the conductive epoxy may be dispensed and cured at750. The reflective element assembly is then filled and plugged at 726and further processed as discussed above.

For purposes of examples, the manufacturing and assembly processes forthree exemplary reflective element assemblies is set forth below.Although specific coatings and adhesives and encapsulants and the likeare provided in the examples, clearly other coatings and adhesives andencapsulants and the like may be implemented without affecting the scopeof the present invention.

In a first exemplary reflective element assembly, a front substrateshape and a rear substrate shape (that match the contour of anassociated automobile inside or outside rearview mirror) are cut fromuncoated glass lites or sheets (flat or bent). The rear substrate isedge seamed with a standard belt seamer, while the front substrate ispencil seamed using a CNC glass grinder. The front and rear substratesare then washed and dried using a conventional mechanical brush washeror a conventional ultrasonic washer in preparation for the coating step.

The rear substrate is placed in a coating fixture and the inward surface(the third surface of the finally completed reflective element assembly)is coated with approximately 700 Angstroms of chromium and approximately100 Angstroms of rhodium. The coating fixture as described previously isdesigned such that the coating is excluded (such as by masking) alongthe perimetal border of the rear substrate shape in a border strip thatis about 1.5 mm wide. This exclusion zone increases to about 3 mm in thevicinity of the fill port region for the to-be-assembled electrochromiccell. This is done so that the UV curable plug seal can be cured viaultraviolet light irradiation in a later step in the process. Theseexclusion zones can also be achieved by laser ablation or other coatingablation or removal processes in place of masking via the coatingfixture, without affecting the scope of the present invention. Narroweror wider exclusion zones may be chosen, and the width may vary aroundthe perimeter of the substrate as may be appropriate for the particularmirror shape being fabricated.

The rear coating fixture is also designed such that along the bottom (orother edge if desired) of the rear substrate, there will be awrap-around coating of chrome and rhodium along the cut edge of theglass at a tab region, as previously described. The length of this edgecoating will define the length of the bus-bar that will be appliedlater.

The inward surface of the front substrate (the second surface of thefinally completed reflective element assembly) is first coated withabout 1,200 to about 1,700 Angstroms (such as about 1,500 Angstroms)coating of Indium Tin Oxide (having a sheet resistance preferably in theabout 12 ohm/square to about 15 ohm/square range, though for largersubstrate sizes, less than 10 ohms per square is preferred). The frontsubstrate is then placed in a coating fixture where it is closely heldagainst a mask (such as glass mask) that is cut about 5 mm smaller allthe way around the perimeter of the substrate, and that masks thecentral portion, as previously described, so that only the perimetalborder region is coated with a metallic reflective/electricallyconducting coating that forms the perimetal border reflector when viewedthrough the first surface of the front substrate by the likes of adriver viewing the vehicular mirror assembly of the vehicle. Forinterior mirror reflectors, overcoating about 1500 Angstroms orthereabouts of ITO coating with a metallic layer of rhodium metal isfound to exhibit a generally silvery, generally non-spectrallyselective, neutral/non-colored reflective border. Because rhodium is anexpensive material, it may be economical to overcoat the rhodiumperimeter band metallic coating with a chromium metal coating of about500 Angstroms to 1000 Angstroms or more to provide the electricalraceway. In this way, and as has been known for use in exterior mirrormain reflectors for electrochromic devices, a relatively thin rhodiumlayer (of the order of about 100 to 400 Angstroms or thereabouts) can beused to establish the silvery reflective look seen by the driver orother viewers, whereas the chromium overcoat (that is hidden by therhodium layer when viewed from the front of the mirror by a driver ofthe vehicle) principally provides the desired degree of electricalconductivity. For exterior mirrors, a perimeter band coating of about700 Angstroms of chromium coated on top of a half-wave ITO coated inwardsurface of the front substrate is desirable for many applications. Notethat the perimeter border coating step for the inward surface of thefront substrate typically results in about a 3 mm to 5 mm (orthereabouts) metallic reflecting band all the way around the mirror,preferably without any gaps.

The main perimeter seal is then dispensed on the inward surface of therear substrate at its perimeter border as an uncured epoxy material. Thefront substrate is then coupled to the rear substrate. The two matedsubstrates are then put into a vacuum bag. The bag is sealed, evacuatedand heated in an oven to a temperature of about 120 degrees to about 150degrees Celsius (or thereabouts) for about an hour to cure the perimeterseal. Alternately, the substrate mating and coupling can be achieved viaa mechanical fixture.

The empty mirror is filled with an electrochromic monomer compositionsuch as disclosed previously using a conventional vacuum backfillingtechnique. The fill port is plugged with a UV curable adhesive and curedfrom the back of the mirror (i.e., via its fourth surface) using astandard UV conveyor system.

The filled mirror is placed in an oven at about 100 degrees to about 120degrees Celsius (or thereabouts) to complete transformation of theelectrochromic monomer composition into a solid polymer matrixelectrochromic medium. The mirror is now ready for application of thebus-bars. Note that other electro-optic or electrochromic media, whichmay be liquid or solid, can be used, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

A solder, preferably a ceramic solder, such as a Cerasolzer T7Ultrasonic solder, and most preferably that is a lead free solder, isapplied as a bus-bar using the previously described process. A wireharness or other electrical connecting element is then soldered and/ormechanically attached (such as by spring load) to the ultrasonic solderbus bar. The contact point between the ultrasonic solder and the wireharness is secured/environmentally protected with a suitable polymericprotectorant, such as an epoxy, silicone, urethane, acrylic or similarresinous material; for example, a UV curable adhesive, such as WellomerUV2113. The Ultrasonic solder bus-bar is protected with a conformalcoating, such as a suitable polymeric protectorant, such as an epoxy,silicone, urethane, acrylic or similar resinous material; for example, aUV curable Dymax 984LVUF. This coating can be sprayed and cured (or maybe applied by a dip process or a wipe process or a paint or printingprocess or an ink jet process) using conventional conformalcoating/curing systems.

In a second exemplary reflective element assembly, the substrates may becut and coated in a similar manner as described above with respect tothe first example. The assembled cell may have a conductive epoxybus-bar disposed along the edge of the mirror. More particularly, aninsulating layer of a suitable polymeric protectorant, such as an epoxy,silicone, urethane, acrylic or similar resinous material; for example, aUV curable adhesive, such as Dymax 984LVUF, may first be dispensed ontothe second surface transparent electrically conductive coating of thefront substrate at the tab-out region of the rear substrate. Thisinsulating layer prevents any electrical contact to, and henceelectrical shorting to, the second surface transparent electricallyconductive coating when electrical contact is made to the wraparoundportion of the third surface metallic coating at the edge of the rearsubstrate at that tab-out/wraparound region. Prior to dispensing theconductive epoxy, two L-shaped metallic tabs made with a tin plated0.005″ thick copper-beryllium alloy with a pressure sensitive adhesive,such as 3M 9500PC, are attached in the top right and bottom rightcorners on the back of the mirror cell. A conductive epoxy, such asEmerson & Cuming XCE-3050, is dispensed along the top and bottom of themirror to form the bus-bars. The conductive epoxy is bridged over thetabs and the epoxy is cured in an oven for about an hour at 130 degreesCelsius. The wire harness can then be soldered to these metallic tabs. Acoating or bead of encapsulant, such as a glob top encapsulation, suchas Wellomer UV2113, is applied over the metallic tab, and the bus-barsare protected with a conformal coating, such as Dymax 984LVUF, and curedusing a UV conveyor system, so as to provide environmental/mechanicalprotection.

A third exemplary reflective element assembly or mirror cell is formedvia the following processes. The glass is first cut into shapes.Particularly, a front substrate shape and a rear substrate shape (thatmatch the contour of an associated automobile inside or outside rearviewmirror) are cut from uncoated glass lites or sheets (flat or bent). Therear substrate is edge seamed with a standard belt seamer, while thefront substrate is pencil seamed using a CNC glass grinder. The frontand rear substrates are then washed and dried using a standardmechanical washer (alternatively, an ultrasonic wash process may beused) in preparation for the coating step.

The rear substrate is placed in a coating fixture and the inward surfaceis coated with approximately 700 Angstroms of chromium and approximately300 Angstroms of rhodium. The coating fixture as described previously isdesigned such that the coating is excluded along the top of the mirrorin a strip that is about 1.5 mm wide. This exclusion zone increases toabout 3 mm in the vicinity of the fill port. This is done so that the UVcurable plug seal can be cured in a later step in the process. Theseexclusion zones can also be achieved by laser ablation in place of thecoating fixture.

The rear coating fixture is also designed such that along the bottom (orother edge or region if desired) of the rear substrate, there will be awraparound coating of chrome and rhodium along the edge of the glass.The length of this edge coating will define the length of the bus-barthat will be applied later.

The rear substrate is again placed in a coating fixture in order todeposit a fourth surface bus-bar along the bottom (or other edge orregion if desired and generally along the wrap around coating along theedge of the glass) of the rear surface. This fourth surface bus-bar willextend at least about 5 mm inward of the edge of the glass. The bus-barwill be a coating of chromium that is about 2,000 Angstroms thick, andwill electrically contact the third surface wraparound coating toprovide electrical continuity between the fourth surface bus-bar and thethird surface conductive coating.

The inward surface of the front substrate is first coated with about1,200 to about 1,700 Angstroms (such as about 1,500 Angstroms) coatingof Indium Tin Oxide (having a sheet resistance preferably in the about12 ohm/square to about 15 ohm/square range, though for larger substratesizes, less than 10 ohms per square is preferred). The front substrateis then placed in a coating fixture where it is closely held against amask (such as glass mask) that is cut about 5 mm smaller all the wayaround the perimeter of the substrate, and that masks the centralportion, as previously described, so that only the perimetal borderregion is coated with a chromium metallic reflective/electricalconducting coating. For exterior mirrors, a perimeter band coating ofabout 700 Angstroms of chromium coated on top of a half-wave ITO coatedinward surface of the front substrate is desirable for manyapplications. Note that the perimeter border coating step for the inwardsurface of the front substrate typically results in about a 3 mm to 5 mm(or thereabouts) metallic reflecting band all the way around the mirror,preferably without any gaps.

The main perimeter seal is then dispensed on the inward surface of therear substrate at its perimeter border as an uncured epoxy material. Thefront substrate is then coupled to the rear substrate. The two matedsubstrates are then put into a vacuum bag. The bag is sealed, evacuatedand heated in an oven to a temperature of about 150 degrees Celsius forabout an hour to cure the perimeter seal. Alternately, the substratemating and coupling can be achieved via a mechanical fixture. Asdescribed above, an insulating layer of a suitable polymericprotectorant, such as an epoxy, silicone, urethane, acrylic or similarresinous material; for example, a UV curable adhesive, such as Dymax984LVUF, may first be dispensed onto the second surface transparentelectrically conductive coating of the front substrate at the tab-outregion of the rear substrate. This insulating layer prevents anyelectrical contact to, and hence electrical shorting to, the secondsurface transparent electrically conductive coating when electricalcontact is made to the wraparound portion of the third surface metalliccoating at the edge of the rear substrate at that tab-out/wraparoundregion.

The empty mirror is filled with the with an electrochromic monomercomposition such as disclosed previously using a conventional vacuumbackfilling technique. The fill port is plugged with a UV curableadhesive and cured from the back of the mirror (i.e., via its fourthsurface) using a standard UV conveyor system. The filled mirror isplaced in an oven at about 120 degrees Celsius to completetransformation of the electrochromic monomer composition into a solidpolymer matrix electrochromic medium. The mirror is now ready forapplication of the bus-bars. Note that other electro-optic orelectrochromic media, which may be liquid or solid, can be used, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

Prior to dispensing the conductive epoxy, two L-shaped metallic tabsmade with a tin plated 0.005″ thick copper-beryllium alloy with apressure sensitive adhesive, such as 3M 9500PC, are attached in the topright and bottom right corners (or other regions as desired) on the backof the mirror. A conductive epoxy, such as Emerson & Cuming XCE-3050, isdispensed along the top and bottom of the mirror to form the bus-bars.The conductive epoxy is bridged over the tabs. This epoxy is cured in anoven for about an hour at about 130 degrees Celsius.

The wire harness can now be soldered to these metallic tabs. A coatingor bead of encapsulant, such as a glob top encapsulation, such asWellomer UV2113, is applied over the metallic tab, and the bus-bars areprotected with a conformal coating, such as Dymax 984LVUF, and curedusing a UV conveyor system, so as to provide environmental/mechanicalprotection.

Optionally, and with reference to FIGS. 54 and 55, a substrate 760 mayinclude a fourth surface conductive coating 762 that provides anintegral heater pad for the rear surface 760 c of the substrate 760. Theheater pad or coating may be applied utilizing aspects of the mirrorsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,808,777; 5,610,756; 5,446,576; and5,151,824, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Thesubstrate 760 may be otherwise substantially similar to substrate 614′,discussed above, and may include the third surface reflective andconductive coating or coatings 620 on the front surface 760 a and withthe wraparound coating 620 a on the edge 760 b of substrate 760, alongwith the fourth surface coating 634 and wraparound or overcoat edgecoating 634 a that overlaps the edge coating 620 a at an overlap region636. The electrical connector 624 may be soldered (such as at a solderjoint 624 b) to or otherwise electrically connected to the fourthsurface coating 634 to provide electrical power or current to the thirdsurface reflector coating via the wraparound coatings or overlappingcoatings 636.

When the fourth surface coating 634 is disposed or deposited along theperimeter portion of the rear surface of the substrate that is generallyalong the edge 760 b of substrate 760, the fourth surface heater coating762 may also be applied to the rear surface 760 c of substrate 760. Theheater coating 762 may be applied at the same time and in the sameprocess as the coating 634 (and thus may comprise the same material) ormay be applied during a different or separate coating process (and thusmay comprise a different material).

The heater coating 762 may comprise any electrically conducting coatingthat dissipates heat when electrically powered, due to its resistance toelectrical conduction. For example, the heater coating may comprise avacuum-deposited metal thin-film or thin-film stack, or a thick film ofgraphite or a conductive polymer, such as with graphite or silver flakesor the like. Suitable conductive metallic coatings to utilize for thefourth surface heater means and for the separate perimetal fourthsurface layer (with edge wrap-around) include those disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,808,777; 5,610,756 and 5,446,576, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. For example, the heater coating maycomprise a vacuum-deposited (such as by sputtering) thin-film oftitanium, inconel, chromium, stainless steel, hastelloy, nickel,nichrome or the like, or such as other conductive or resistive coatingsdiscussed herein, and electrical connectors 764, 766 may be soldered orotherwise electrically connected to the heater coating 762, such as atopposite ends or portions of the heater coating. The heater orresistance layer may comprise any suitable material and may have aspecific resistivity of approximately 1×10-5 ohm.cm to 1×10-4 ohm.cm orthereabouts, and may be deposited to a thickness to provide a sheetresistance of approximately 0.2 to 20 ohms per square or thereabouts.For example, in order to achieve the desired sheet resistance, theparticular heater coating may be deposited to a thickness of between 500and 5000 angstrom units. The particular sheet resistance value may beselected as a function of the power dissipation required, the mirrorreflector surface area, the voltage to be applied, the aspect ratiogeometry of the reflective element, the material of the coating, whetherthere is any patterning of the heater layer (so as to create a moreelectrically resistive inter-bus-bar pathway, such as may be establishedby masking during deposition or ablation after deposition or otherdemarcations or patterns or the like) and the bus-bar layout.Preferably, the heater layer on the fourth surface is configured inorder to dissipate power of at least about 0.75 watts per square inch ofactive electrochromic reflective area when the vehicle ignition voltage(nominal 12 Volts) is applied; more preferably at least about 1 watt persquare inch of active electrochromic reflective area; and mostpreferably at least about 1.25 watts per square inch of activeelectrochromic reflective area. The electrodes or connectors at theheater coating may comprise point contacts or strip contacts, such asconductive solder strips or beads or the like.

The heater coating 762 may be dispensed as a continuous coating over aregion of the rear surface 760 c, or the heater coating may be dispensedin a pattern, such as a coil or spiral pattern or wave pattern orserpentine pattern or any other strip or pattern. The pattern may beselected to provide the desired thickness and conductivity and sheetresistance to the heater coating, such that the heater coating will drawthe desired current when powered or energized. The heater coating may beelectrically isolated from the rear surface coating 634 (such as viadefining an exclusion zone or isolation zone or electricallynon-conducting or insulating region 768 around the heater coating, suchas via masking the rear surface during the coating process or such asvia deleting the coating in desired areas after the coating process orthe like).

Optionally, the integrated heater pad may include openings or exposedglass between portions of the heater pad to provide additionalattachment areas for the adhesive for adhering the backing plate to therear of the reflective element assembly to contact the glass.Optionally, the back-plate design can take advantage of the offsetbetween the front and rear glass substrates as an additional anchoringpoint (such as via tabs or clips or the like that may extend from theback plate and at least partially over or around at least a portion ofthe perimeter edge of the rear substrate) to provide a more secureattachment option. Such an arrangement may limit or substantiallypreclude the possibility of the mirror reflective element assemblysliding off the back-plate. Such an application may be applicable tomirror assemblies with or without the integrated heater. Optionally, thebacking plate or the rear substrate may have a thermistor (or othersuitable temperature sensing device) thereon to detect the temperatureat the reflective element assembly, so that the heating pad may beactivated and/or deactivated in response to an output signal from thethermistor.

Optionally, the electrical connections to the heater pad and/or to theraceways or conductive pads or foils may comprise connectors at theheater pad and/or raceways and corresponding connectors on the backingplate, such that the electrical connections may be made between thewiring at the backing plate and the connectors on the rear surface ofthe rear substrate as the backing plate is engaged with and adhered tothe rear surface of the rear substrate. The backing plate connectionsthus may be made as the backing plate is attached to the rear substrate(such as via a plug/socket connection or other engagement of theconductive elements or terminals at the backing plate and fourthsurface) and the additional wire connections or solder connections maybe obviated. Optionally, the backing plate may include tabs around itsperimeter to engage the perimeter edge of the rear substrate to furtherattach the backing plate to the reflective element assembly. Optionally,the backing plate may extend over the perimeter edges of the rearsubstrate and at least partially over the perimeter edges of the frontsubstrate (and may terminate near or at the first surface of thereflective element assembly) so as to form a pocket or recess forreceiving the reflective element assembly within the pocket of thebacking plate. Such configurations may enhance the securement of thereflective element assembly to the backing plate.

Optionally, the reflective element assembly may be assembled or formedby first establishing two or more front substrate portions on a sheet ofsubstrate material, such as glass, and mating the individual rearsubstrates or shapes (which may be smaller in size than the frontsubstrates) to the respective substrate portions of the sheet, such asdiscussed above. For example, four (or more or less) front substrateportions may be established or defined on a sheet of glass (such as by aperimeter band and/or seal material disposed on the sheet or by markingsor indicia on the sheet) that is already coated with a transparentelectrically conductive coating (with the coated surface being thesecond surface for the not yet established front substrates). Theraceway or perimeter band may be established around the perimeter ofeach of the substrate portions, if desired for the particularapplication of the completed reflective element assemblies. Optionally,the rear shapes may be provided as pre-cut shapes that are alreadycoated and cut to the desired shape. The pre-cut and coated rear shapesmay be supplied to a coupling station from a washer, such that the rearshapes are cleaned just prior to the coupling of the rear shapes to thesheet on which the front substrate portions are established. The cleanrear shapes are then positioned, such as by an automated or computercontrolled robot or robot arm or the like, relative to the sheet and therespective epoxy seals, and may be pressed into engagement with therespective uncured seal material shape. The rear shapes or substratesmay be positioned relative to sheet in response to detection of theregister marks on the sheet and the detection of the edges or othercharacteristics or physical attributes of the rear shapes, such asdetection of flat portions or edges along the rear shapes, such as by acomputer aided camera vision or imaging system or the like. Theautomated robot may substantially uniformly press the rear shapes andthe sheet together, whereby the uncured seal material provides theappropriate spacing between the rear shapes and sheet and defines thecell interpane cavities. The sheet is dimensioned so as to be largerthan at least two side-by-side rear substrates that are cut to the shapeof the vehicular mirror, such that at least two separate mirror elements(the mated front and rear substrates, that may or may not be filled withthe electro-optic medium) are formed by separation of at least two frontsubstrate portions and the respective mated rear substrate shapes fromthe sheet of substrate material. The interpane cavities may be filledand the seal may be cured and the front substrate portions may beseparated from (such as by cutting or breaking) the sheet to form theindividual and separate reflective element assemblies. The mirrorelements or cells may be filled while still joined by the sheet or thecells may be separated from the sheet prior to filling and curing,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, a reflective element assembly of the present invention (suchas for an interior or exterior rearview mirror assembly) may include aphoto sensor or light sensor (such as the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,831,268; 6,742,904; 6,737,629; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 4,799,768;and 4,793,690, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filedJun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference) at the rear or fourth surface of the reflectiveelement assembly, such that the photo sensor detects light passingthrough the reflective element assembly. Examples of such configurationsare described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,690; 5,550,677 and 5,193,029, andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference. The reflective element assembly thus may have a window ortransmissive port or portion at the photo sensor or, and preferably, maycomprise a transflective display on demand (DOD) type reflective elementassembly or cell, such as, for example, the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,668,663; 5,724,187; and 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No.7,195,381, and/or in International Publication Nos. WO 2004/026633,and/or WO 2004/042457, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference. The transflective reflective element assembly may have afixed attenuation such that only a relatively small amount of lightpasses therethrough, such as about 12 to 25 percent of the lightincident on the reflective element assembly, such that the signal todark current ratio generated at the sensor may be substantially reduced.Because the photo sensor may have a relatively small sensing area, thesensor may not receive or sense a substantial amount of light passingthrough the reflective element assembly. Therefore, it is envisionedthat a light concentrator (such as a lens and/or light channel and/orlight pipe and/or other light concentrating device) may be positioned atthe photo sensor to focus or direct the light passing through a largerarea of the reflective element assembly onto the smaller sensing area ofthe photo sensor.

For example, and with reference to FIG. 56, a reflective elementassembly 780 may include a front substrate 782 and a rear substrate 784with an electro-optic or electrochromic medium 786 disposed orsandwiched therebetween and contained or surrounded or encompassed by aseal 787 around the perimeter of the electro-optic medium. The frontsubstrate 782 includes a transparent electrically conductive layer orcoating 788 on its rear or second surface 782 a, while the rearsubstrate 784 includes a metallic electrically conductive and reflectivelayer 790 on its front or third surface 784 a. The reflective elementassembly comprises a transflective display on demand reflective elementassembly, such that the reflective element is substantially reflectiveof light incident thereon, while also being at least partiallytransmissive of light therethrough. A photo sensor 792 is positioned ator behind the rear or fourth surface 784 b of the rear substrate 784 fordetecting light passing through the reflective element assembly, such asfor detecting glare from the headlights of a rearward approachingvehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the reflective element assemblyincludes a light directing or light focusing or light concentratingdevice 794 at the rear surface 784 b of the rear substrate 784, suchthat the light concentrating device 794 directs or concentrates lightonto the sensing surface 792 a of the photo sensor 792.

The light concentrating device 794 functions to receive light passingthrough a portion or area or region 796 of the reflective elementassembly and concentrate the received light onto the smaller sensingsurface 792 a of the photo sensor 792. For example, the lightconcentrating device may concentrate light received from a larger region(such as a region having about a 5 mm to about a 10 mm or largerdiameter) onto the smaller sensing area (such as a sensing area havingabout a 1 mm to about a 3 mm or smaller diameter), and thus mayconcentrate about 25 times more light, or more or less, onto the photosensor. The light concentrating device thus provides a greater amount oflight to the photo sensor such that the photo sensor may function todetect lower levels of light at the reflective element assembly. Thelight concentrating device may comprise a lens or combination of lensesor other optical elements, a light channel, a compound paraboliccollector, and/or a light pipe or other light concentrator, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention, and is configured toprovide a field of view rearward of the vehicle that substantiallyreplicates the field of view that is typical or conventional for glaresensing photo sensors in automatic dimming rearview mirror assemblies.For instance, a larger diameter lens may be disposed proximate to therear surface (fourth surface) of the electrochromic cell and anothertypically smaller diameter (and having a shorter focal length) lens maybe set behind the first or larger lens to concentrate the light receivedby the larger diameter lens so that the light is concentrated andincident on the photo sensitive surface of the photo sensor. Preferably,in order to reduce cost and weight, such lenses and/or other opticalelements used in the light concentrator, are fabricated from plastic,such as from an optical polymer, such as acrylic or polycarbonate orpolystyrene or CR39 or COC olefin or the like. Preferably, the opticand/or light concentrating element is chosen such that it has reduced orminimal intrusiveness into the interior of the mirror head/housing so asto not crowd other features or items desired to be located or packagedtherein.

For example, a funnel-shaped light concentrator, such as formed of apolymeric optical material, such as acrylic or polycarbonate orpolystyrene or CR39 or COC olefin or the like, may be used thatoptically couples (such as via an optical adhesive) at its widestdimension/side to the rearmost surface of the electrochromic cell orreflective element, and that preferably optically couples at its narrowdimension/neck to the photo sensing surface of the photo sensor disposedat the narrow dimension/neck of the light concentrator. Optionally, theouter surfaces may be reflector coated so as to maximize lightcollection, and particularly off-axis light collection emanating fromlight sources, such as headlamps approaching from the rear of thevehicle. Such reflector coating may be a white diffuse reflectivecoating or a diffuser light reflector, such as a white paint or Argentpaint or the like, or it may be a substantially specularly reflectingcoating or layer, such as a metal thin film or layer, such as analuminum or chromium metal reflecting thin layer or coating. Optionally,a hollowed cylinder or funnel can be used (such as a seashell-shapedfunnel) that collects light over a broad area and that, having highlyreflecting walls (such as can be achieved via vacuum metallization),reflects light backwards and forwards and channels the collected lightto exit at its narrower neck so as to be incident at the photo detectordisposed at the neck of the funnel. Optionally, and desirably, a nearinfrared filter (that attenuates/reduces infrared radiation) may bedisposed along the optical path to the photo sensing surface of thephoto sensor, such as behind the fourth surface of the mirror reflectiveelement and in front of the photo sensing surface of the photo sensor,such as proximate to or immediately in front of the photo sensingsurface of the photo sensor.

Therefore, the present invention provides a frameless or bezellessmirror assembly, such as for an exterior rearview mirror assembly(although aspects of the present invention are suitable for interiorrearview mirror applications as well). The reflective coating orcoatings may include windows or the like formed therethrough or thereflective coatings may provide a transflective reflective elementassembly, so that a display or indicator may be positioned behind therear substrate (such as at the backing plate or at a circuit board atthe backing plate or the like) and may be viewable through thesubstrates when activated. Optionally the reflective coating may includea window for a photo sensor or glare sensor, particularly forindependently operable electro-optic reflective element assemblies. Thereflective coatings may comprise one or more conductive metalliccoatings and/or other conductive reflective and/or transparent coatingsto provide the desired appearance and/or tint (for example, thereflective element assembly or cell may provide a passively anti-glaretint or characteristic, such as a blue tint or the like) and/orperformance, such as via utilizing principles described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,668,663; 5,724,187; and 6,690,268, and/or in InternationalPublication Nos. WO 2004/026633 and/or WO 2004/042457, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, in applications for an interior or exterior rearview mirrorassembly that comprises a bezel assembly with a rear or cap portionattached to the bezel assembly to provide the desired content to themirror assembly (such as described in International Publication No. WO2004/103772, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference), it isenvisioned that the bezel portion or cap portion may be selected toprovide a desired aesthetic appearance or decorative appearance to theinterior or exterior rearview mirror assembly. For example, the capportion may have a different color or texture (such as a chrome coloredsurface or the like) than the mirror holder and/or bezel portion toprovide a two-tone configuration to the interior or exterior mirrorassembly. Optionally, the cap portion and/or the mirror holder may havea decorative finish, and may be painted or plated, such as electroplatedor the like, or may have a film or an in mold film or coating thereon toprovide the desired surface to the cap portion and/or the mirror holder.For example, the cap portion (or the mirror holder) may provide acontrast or accent color or may be chrome plated or may provide an anglevariant color (where the perceived color may change depending on theviewing angle) or may provide various colors or patterns or textures orthe like as may be desired by a consumer (for example, certain colors orpatterns or textures may be provided to target different demographics,such as for targeting teenagers or other age groups or genders or thelike). Optionally, the cap portion and/or the mirror holder may have asoft touch surface, such as a soft touch surface and material similar tothe type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,870, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference. For example, either the mirror holderor the cap portion may have such a soft touch surface independent of theother, or both may have such a soft touch surface or neither may have asoft touch surface.

It is further envisioned that the cap portion or bezel of the interioror exterior mirror assembly may include a logo or text or pattern orother indicia thereon as desired by the consumer to provide highlypersonalized and unique mirror assemblies for the particular consumerthat purchases the vehicle or the mirror assembly. For example, the capportion may include a school logo and colors, such as, for example, theletters “MSU” in green and white print/background, to provide adesirable appearance to the personalized mirror assembly for aparticular consumer, such as, for example, a student or graduate ofMichigan State University. Optionally, the cap portion may include othertext or logos or brand names or other types of identifying indicia, suchas, for example, “FORD” to identify the vehicle manufacturer or “TOMMYHILFIGER” to identify the vehicle owner's clothing preference or thelike, or other text or messages or images or trademarks or colors orpatterns or indicia or the like to provide a desired appearance oridentification or message or statement or advertisement or logo orsponsorship identification or style or brand identification on theinterior or exterior mirror assembly. The mirror assemblies may thus beassembled to have the desired or personalized cap portion with thedesired or personalized logo or color or message or indicia thereon toprovide the desired or personalized finish or appearance of the interioror exterior mirror assembly.

In an aftermarket application, various cap portions as described abovemay be provided as aftermarket interior or exterior mirror cap portions,and a consumer may purchase a desired cap portion, which may havedesired content or features (such as described in InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/103772, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference) or may have a desired color or texture or appearance or thelike. The consumer may readily remove the existing cap portion from theinterior or exterior mirror assembly of their vehicle and replace itwith the new cap portion. For example, the cap portion and/or the mirrorholder (such as the mirror support arm for an interior rearview mirrorassembly or a mirror mount for an exterior rearview mirror assembly) mayhave snaps or clasps that may retain the cap portion and mirrorholder/mount/bezel together, but that may release or detach such thatthe cap portion may be detachable from the mirror assembly by a user.The cap portion may be pulled or detached from the mirror assembly and anew cap portion (with the desired or personalized text or indicia orcolors or the like thereon) may be pressed or snapped into place on themirror assembly to provide the vehicle owner with the new cap portionhaving the desired content or functions or features and/or the desiredor personalized appearance or the like.

The mirror assembly may be mounted at or attached to an interior portionof the vehicle (such as to a mounting button or the like at an interiorsurface of the vehicle windshield or the like) via any mounting means,such as a single ball or single pivot mounting arrangement, or a doubleball or double pivot mirror mounting arrangement. Examples of doublepivot or double ball mounting arrangements are described in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,646,210 and 6,331,066, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. The mirror mounting components mayprovide a breakaway type connection or mount, such as the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,774,810; 6,642,851; 6,483,438; 6,366,213;6,326,900; 6,222,460; 6,172,613; 6,087,953; 5,820,097; 5,377,949; and/or5,330,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.Optionally, the mirror assembly may incorporate a mounting arrangementof the types described in PCT Publication Nos. WO 2004/009408 and/or WO2004/009407, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/609,642,filed Sep. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004; and Ser.No. 60/638,250, filed Dec. 21, 2004; and/or International PublicationNo. WO 2004/103772; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,842,filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860, which are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

Note that electrochromic mirror cells or reflective element assembliesmade such as by any of the processes of the present invention can beincluded in complete mirror assemblies that include a variety ofadded-features, such as lighting, telematics functionality andelectronics, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268;6,477,464; 6,472,979; 6,445,287; 6,420,975; 6,294,989; 6,278,377;6,243,003; 6,042,253; 5,938,321; 5,924,212; 5,813,745; 5,820,245;5,669,698; 5,673,994; 5,671,996; 5,649,756; 5,632,092; 5,255,442;5,178,448; 5,131,154; 4,937,945; 4,862,594; 4,807,096; 4,733,336; and/or4,646,210, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/456,599, filedJun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filedAug. 20, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and/or Ser. No. 10/964,512,filed Oct. 13, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,341; and/or InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/032568, and U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/415,233, filed Oct. 1, 2002; and Ser. No. 60/429,360, filed Nov.26, 2002, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, the mirror assembly of the present invention may include oneor more other accessories at or within the mirror casing, such as one ormore electrical or electronic devices or accessories, such as antennas,including global positioning system (GPS) or cellular phone antennas,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,552, a communication module,such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688, an imaging system or blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,051, filed Apr. 30, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30,2004; and/or Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004, or a reverse orbackup aid system, such as a rearwardly directed vehicle vision systemutilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,760,962;5,670,935; 6,201,642; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,717,610 and/or 6,757,109,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/418,486, filed Apr. 18, 2003,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, a high/low headlamp controller, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094 and/or 5,715,093; and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004; andSer. No. 60/562,480, filed Apr. 15, 2004, a rain sensor, such as thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,250,148 and 6,341,523, or otherimaging systems, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392and 6,313,454, which may utilize various imaging sensors or imagingarray sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging arraysensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as the typesdisclosed in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,760,962;6,097,023 and 5,796,094, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/441,341, filed Nov. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,149, and/or PCTPublication No. WO 2004/047421, and U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/426,239, filed Nov. 14, 2002; Ser. No. 60/477,416, filed Jun. 10,2003; and Ser. No. 60/492,544, filed Aug. 5, 2003, or transmittersand/or receivers, such as a garage door opener or the like, a digitalnetwork, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,575, a memory mirrorsystem, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phoneattachment, a video device for internal cabin surveillance and/or videotelephone function, such as a baby viewing or rear seat viewing cameraor device or system or the like, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,760,962; 5,877,897 and/or 6,690,268, and/or International PublicationNo. WO 2004/058540, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/435,554, filed Dec. 20, 2002; Ser. No. 60/439,626, filed Jan. 13,2003; Ser. No. 60/489,812, filed Jul. 24, 2003; Ser. No. 60/492,225,filed Aug. 1, 2003; and Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, aremote keyless entry receiver or system or circuitry and/or a universalgarage door opening system or circuitry (such as the types disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,408; 6,362,771; 5,798,688 and 5,479,155, and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/770,736, filed Feb. 3, 2004, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,023,322, a remote keyless entry receiver, lights, suchas map reading lights or one or more other lights or illuminationsources, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,938,321;5,813,745; 5,820,245; 5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996;4,646,210; 4,733,336; 4,807,096; 6,042,253; and/or 5,669,698, and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, microphones, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,243,003; 6,278,377; and/or 6,420,975; and/or InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/032568, speakers, a compass, such as disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212; 4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442;and/or 5,632,092, a tire pressure monitoring system, such as the typesdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,294,989; 6,445,287; and/or 6,472,979,and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/611,796, filed Sep. 21,2004, a navigation system, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,464,and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser. No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762, filed Aug. 20, 2003, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No. 10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003,now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or International Publication No. WO2004/058540, a seat occupancy detector, a vehicle occupancy detector,such as the type described in U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/630,364, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by Wåhlström, a trip computer, anONSTAR® system and/or the like (with all of the above-referenced patentsand patent applications and PCT applications and provisionalapplications being commonly assigned, and with the disclosures of thereferenced patents and patent applications and PCT applications andprovisional applications being hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties). The accessory or accessories may be positioned ator within the mirror casing and may be included on or integrated in aprinted circuit board or a flexible circuit member, such as a flexiblecircuit membrane, positioned within the mirror casing, such as along arear surface of the reflective element or elsewhere within a cavitydefined by the casing, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

The accessory or accessories may be positioned at or within the mirrorcasing and may be included on or integrated in the printed circuit boardpositioned within the mirror casing, such as along a rear surface of thereflective element or elsewhere within a cavity defined by the casing,without affecting the scope of the present invention. The useractuatable inputs described above may be actuatable to control and/oradjust the accessories of the mirror assembly/system and/or an overheadconsole and/or an accessory module/windshield electronics module and/orthe vehicle. The connection or link between the controls and the systemsor accessories may be provided via vehicle electronic or communicationsystems and the like, and may be connected via various protocols ornodes, such as Bluetooth™, SCP, UBP, J1850, CAN J2284, Fire Wire 1394,MOST, LIN, FlexRay™, Byte Flight and/or the like, or other vehicle-basedor in-vehicle communication links or systems (such as WIFI and/or IRDA)and/or the like, depending on the particular application of themirror/accessory system and the vehicle. Optionally, the connections orlinks may be provided via wireless connectivity or links, such as via awireless communication network or system, such as described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference,without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include a compass system and compasscircuitry, such as a compass system utilizing aspects of the compasssystems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/933,842, filedSep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860; Ser. No. 10/456,599, filedJun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; and/or Ser. No. 09/999,429,filed Nov. 15, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,851, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos.4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851;5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508;6,222,460; and 6,513,252, and/or International Publication No. WO2004/103772, and U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/471,546,filed May 19, 2003; Ser. No. 60/525,537, filed Nov. 26, 2003; and Ser.No. 60/556,259, filed Mar. 25, 2004, and/or European patent application,published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/624,091, filed Nov. 1, 2004;and/or Ser. No. 60/636,931, filed Dec. 17, 2004, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference. The compass circuitry may includecompass sensors, such as a magneto-responsive sensor, such as amagneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, a Hall sensor, amagneto-inductive sensor, a flux-gate sensor or the like. The sensor orsensors may be positioned at and within a base portion of the mirrorassembly so that the sensor/sensors is/are substantially fixedlypositioned within the vehicle, or may be attached or positioned withinthe mirror casing. Note that the magneto-responsive sensor used with themirror assembly may comprise a magneto-responsive sensor, such as amagneto-resistive sensor, such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,255,442; 5,632,092; 5,802,727; 6,173,501; 6,427,349; and 6,513,252(which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), or amagneto-inductive sensor, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,370(which is hereby incorporated herein by reference), or amagneto-impedance sensor, such as the types described in PCT PublicationNo. WO 2004/076971 (which is hereby incorporated herein by reference),or a Hall-effect sensor, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,278,271; 5,942,895 and 6,184,679 (which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference). The sensor circuitry and/or the circuitry in the mirrorhousing and associated with the sensor may include processing circuitry.For example, a printed circuit board may include processing circuitrywhich may include compensation methods, such as those described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092;5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953;6,173,508; 6,222,460; and 6,642,851, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference. The compass sensor may be incorporated in orassociated with a compass system and/or display system for displaying adirectional heading of the vehicle to the driver, such as a compasssystem of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212; 4,862,594;4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; and/or 5,632,092, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No.7,004,593, and/or International Publication No. WO 2004/103772, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, the compass system may comprise an integrated automotive“compass-on-a-chip”, which may comprise at least two magneto-responsivesensor elements, associated A/D and D/A converters, associatedmicroprocessor(s) and memory, associated signal processing andfiltering, associated display driver and associated LIN/CAN BUSinterface and the like, all (or a sub-set thereof) created or disposedonto a silicon substrate (such as using CMOS technology) andconstituting an ASIC chip, which is small (preferably less thanapproximately a two square centimeter area, more preferably less thanapproximately a 1.5 square centimeter area, and most preferably lessthan approximately a one square centimeter area or thereabouts) andreadily packagable into the cavity. Optionally, and preferably, such acompass-on-a-chip ASIC may also include the hardware and softwarerequired to receive an output from a temperature sensor (such as athermocouple or thermostat that is located external the vehicle cabin inorder to sense and monitor the temperature external to the vehicle) andto convert this signal to a reading in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius,and to provide this reading via an on-chip temperature display driverand/or via a BUS protocol, such as a CAN BUS or a LIN BUS, or via anon-chip wireless transmitter or the like to a digital or other type oftemperature display so that the driver and/or occupants of the vehiclecan view the temperature being measured (such as the temperatureexternal the vehicle and/or the temperature within the vehicle cabin).Thus, for example, a monolithic compass/temp-on-a-chip ASIC may bedisposed in the likes of a mirror mount or within the mirrorhead/housing of an interior rearview mirror assembly, and it may provideboth the external temperature readout and a compass direction headingreadout to an information display at the mirror head/housing (orelsewhere in the vehicle, such as the instrument panel/cluster or at anoverhead console or accessory module or the like).

Optionally, the compass system may include a display at the reflectiveelement of the mirror assembly to display the sensed directional headingof the vehicle to the driver of the vehicle. The display may includeports or windows or characters etched or otherwise formed in thereflective coating of the reflective element, such as described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593, and/or International Publication No. WO 2004/103772,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, and asshown in FIG. 57, and in order to reduce or limit the potential ofviewing a double image of the directional heading (due to the reflectionoff a first outer surface and/or intermediary second or third surfacesof the illumination at the character-shaped port), a compass display 798for a reflective element 799 includes four display ports 798 a (such asone display port for each of the four cardinal directional headingpoints N, E, S, W, or optionally eight display ports for the eightcardinal and intercardinal directional heading points N, NE, E, SE, S,SW, W, NW) for displaying the sensed directional heading of the vehicleto the driver of the vehicle. The display ports may be formed as aplurality of generally circular (or rectangular or other shape asdesired) ports, such as about 5 mm diameter ports. The ports may beetched or otherwise formed in the reflective coating of a prismaticreflective element (as shown in FIG. 57) or may be formed in the thirdor fourth surface reflective coating of an electro-optic reflectiveelement assembly, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

For example, the circular or other shaped ports may be etched orotherwise formed in circles or other shapes, such as by utilizingtechniques such as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.4,882,565, issued to Gallmeyer on Nov. 21, 1989, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference. The glass surface of the ports thenmay be sandblasted in the circular region 798 b and through a mask (suchas in the shape of the appropriate character (such as N, E, S, W)) thatis applied or positioned at the port, with the mask having a cutout inthe form of, for example, a capital “N” (and othercharacters/letters/icons at other ports of the display). Thus, using asandblaster (or a laser or the like), and taking for example, aprismatic mirror element, the second surface silver/copper/paint mirrorreflector typically formed thereon is ablated away in the port regions,and the port regions may then be roughened (such as via sandblasting andsuch as to provide a diffuse region) other than where the characters 798c (such as “N” or other character or icon) are established with the maskor masks. Thus, the reflective coating is locally removed and in itsplace is established a light transmitting, typically non-diffuse, windowor opening in the shape of the character or icon 798 c (as can be seenin FIG. 57) and locally surrounded by a diffuse local surface thatreduces local specular reflection and hence reduces/eliminates doubleimaging. Thus, when the icon (such as “N”) is illuminated (such as by arear mounted LED or the like), the illuminated N is surrounded by anon-specularly reflecting, preferably diffuse surface. Thus, the portprovides a non-diffuse window in the shape of the character and adiffuse surrounding region of the port. The diffuse or roughened orsandblasted area around the character or icon reduces the reflectance ofthe illuminated ports to substantially reduce double images when thecharacter or icon is illuminated or backlit. Optionally, the diffuseportion may be painted or coated with a dark paint or coating or ink(such as via pad printing or the like) and may provide a dark backgroundaround the character or icon of the respective port when it isilluminated, and thus functions as a diffuser coating that diffuses thelight incident thereon so that the driver or user of the mirror does notreadily view the reflections of the illuminated ports or characters. Inapplications where the display is established on a third surfaceelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element assembly or cell, theports, including the diffuse regions and the character/icon regions, arepreferably electrically conductive. Thus, the display of the presentinvention provides windows (in the form of the directional headingcharacter or icons) that are each surrounded by a light absorbing orlight diffusing region or window and locally devoid of the reflectivecoating or coatings, and thus reduces or substantially limits doubleimages of the illuminated ports and thus provides an enhanced displayfor the compass system. The display may be formed or established, andoptionally inked or painted, on the front or rear surface of thesubstrate, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

For applications where a rosette type compass display is used on anelectro-optic or electrochromic reflective element assembly, thereflective element assembly may comprise a display on demandtransflective reflective element assembly, such that the ports need notbe etched in the reflective coating or coatings. Also, for prismatictransflective reflectors, such as the types described in InternationalPublication Nos. WO 2004/026633 and/or WO 2004/042457; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,338,177, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, suchetching of ports is not necessary and may not be desired.

A prismatic mirror element (when oriented as it would be viewed by adriver in the interior cabin of a vehicle) is typically about 25 cmacross or long and about 6 to 7 cm wide or tall. The front or firstsurface (the surface facing the driver of the vehicle when the mirror isin the vehicle) is ground to be at an angle relative to the rear orsecond (and typically silvered) surface of typically about 4½ degrees orthereabouts. Because of the angled first surface, the prismatic mirrorelement is generally wedge-shaped with varying thickness from top tobottom. For example, typically the thicker portion/cross section has across sectional thickness of about 6 mm or thereabouts, while thethinner portion/cross section of the prismatic mirror element has across sectional thickness of about 2 to 4 mm (typically about 3 mm).When such a prismatic mirror element comprises a transflective displayon demand prismatic reflective element (such as, for example, the typesdescribed in International Publication Nos. WO 2004/026633 and/or WO2004/042457; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19,2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference), such as where the reflector may comprise a siliconcoating, such as described herein and/or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,286,965;6,196,688; 6,065,840; 5,751,489; and 5,535,056; and/or in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No.7,338,177, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, it may bedesirable to position the display behind the thinner portion/crosssection of the prismatic mirror element. Such placement of the displayat the smaller physical cross sectional thickness of the prismaticmirror element may reduce any effect of double imaging that may beviewable when the display is powered or illuminated. Often, the thinnercross sectional region of the prismatic mirror element is below thethicker cross sectional region of the mirror element when the mirrorelement is mounted in the housing/casing of its prismatic mirrorassembly in the vehicle and as viewed and used by the driver. However,if it is desired to position the display element at an upper portion ofthe prismatic mirror assembly, then the prismatic mirror element may beconfigured and adapted so that its thinner region/cross section isdisposed at the upper portion of the prismatic mirror assembly and thethicker portion/cross section is at the lower portion of the prismaticmirror assembly. By so doing, the information display element or thelike is viewable by the driver at an upper portion of the reflectiveelement housed in the complete interior rearview mirror assembly in thevehicle, but because the display element is behind the thinner ratherthan the thicker portion/cross section of the prism used, double imagingof the display in a transflective display on demand prismatic mirrorelement may be reduced. The prismatic mirror element thus may be formedwith a thinner cross sectional upper region and a thicker crosssectional lower region (whereby the flipping between the daytime andnighttime orientations may be reversed from conventional prismaticmirrors), in order to provide the desired display characteristics forthe mirror element.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include or incorporate a videodisplay or display screen or panel or the like, such as a video slideout module or display screen of the types described in InternationalPublication No. WO 2004/058540, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference. In such mirror applications that include orincorporate a video display screen and a compass system at or in thevideo display module and/or the mirror assembly, it is desirable thatthe arm or support that moves the video display screen and its auxiliarydrive train and/or structure be fabricated substantially or entirelyfrom non-magnetic materials, such as polymeric materials, so as tominimize/reduce/eliminate any magnetic field disturbance/anomalies/strayfields that might perturb/disturb/effect the detection and display ofthe vehicle heading by a compass sensor that may be proximate to or partof the video display and/or rearview mirror assembly.

Optionally, such accessories or features may be included in interiormirror assemblies that include user-interfaces, such as buttons, such asare described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,387, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, or that include touch/proximity sensors such as aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; and6,627,918, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/817,874, filed Mar.26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,324, and International Publication No.WO 2004/058540, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, orthat include other types of buttons or switches, such as those describedin U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/553,517, filed Mar. 16,2004; and Ser. No. 60/535,559, filed Jan. 9, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference, or that include fabric-made positiondetectors, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,531; 6,501,465;6,492,980; 6,452,479; 6,437,258; and 6,369,804, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference.

For example, fabric-made position detectors can be included asuser-actuatable switches at the bezel portion or elsewhere on the casingof an interior mirror assembly. Suitable fabric-made position detectorsare available under the trade name ElekTex from Eleksen Limited ofHertfordshire, Great Britain. ElekTex comprises a laminate of textilescomprising two conductive outer layers separated by a partiallyconductive central layer. The outer layers each have twoconductive-fabric electrode strips arranged so that the upper conductivelayer has tracks which make contact across its opposing top and bottomedges and the lower conductive layer has conductive tracks up its leftand right sides. The partially conductive central layer acts as aninsulator in the resting state which, when touched, allows electricalcurrent to flow between the top and bottom layer. Pressure applied tothe ElekTex fabric causes two effects. First, the conducting fibers inthe central layer are locally compressed allowing contact betweenneighboring conducting fibers to form a conductive channel through thecentral layer. Second, the applied pressure brings the two outer layersinto contact with the conductive channel running through the centrallayer allowing a local circuit to be established between the upper andlower layers.

The conductive outer layers are constructed using moderately resistivecomponents so that when a voltage is applied across the sheet, via theelectrodes, there is a distinct voltage drop across the conductivesheet. When the voltage is measured at points across the lower sheet, itacts like the track of a potentiometer allowing the x-position to becalculated from the voltage which can be measured, when the sensor ispressed, via the top sheet. The position is made by applying a voltageto the top sheet and measuring on the lower sheet. These measurementscan be made up to 1000 times a second providing, in effect, continuousX, Y positional data. When pressure is applied to an ElekTex sensor, forexample when it is touched, a conductive channel is formed. If thepressure is light, the conductive fibers in the central layer will onlyjust make sufficient contact to open up a continuous channel and theresistance of the channel will be high. Conversely, when a high force isapplied to an ElekTex sensor, many more of the conductive fibers in thecentral layer will be brought into close proximity and thus theresistance in the channel will be relatively low. The variableresistance in the channel is, therefore, dependant on the pressureapplied. To determine the z-axis force, the electronic controllersupplies a current to the upper and lower conductive layers which in theresting state presents an open circuit and no current flows between theouter layers. When the sensor is touched and the pressure increases, aconductive channel of decreasing resistance forms the circuit whereuponthe resulting current flow is high and related to the pressure applied.Because of their construction and ability to sense in X, Y andZ-directions, ElekTex user-actuatable interfaces are particularlysuitable for menu selection/scrolling interface actuations associatedwith interior mirror assemblies and with windshield electronics modules.Note also that printing and/or backlighting can be utilized inconjunction with mirror-located ElekTex sensing tohighlight/differentiate a particular functionality.

The present invention can be utilized in a variety of interior andexterior mirror assemblies such as described above. Also, the metallicand conductive mirror reflector on the inward facing surface (thirdsurface) of an electrochromic (EC) mirror cell of the present inventionmay be a transflective “display on demand” layer or stack of coatingsthat is both reflecting of and transmitting to incident light, such asis disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,663, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Also, and as disclosed in the '663 patentincorporated above, a turn signal indicator such as an LED indicator maybe mounted behind an interior or an exterior mirror reflector of thepresent invention that utilizes a transflective mirror reflector, sothat the presence of the turn signal indicator behind the mirror cellelement is largely unseen until the turn signal is powered to illuminateand indicate a turn event. In this regard, when a transflective “displayon demand” exterior electrochromic mirror (such as is disclosed in the'663 patent incorporated above) is used as a driver-side exteriorrearview mirror on a vehicle, it can be advantageous to utilize anon-electrochromic, non-electrically-dimming transflective mirror on thecorresponding passenger-side with a through-the-reflector turn signalindicia also. In this regard, use of an elemental semiconductor mirror,such as a silicon metal mirror, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,535,056; 5,751,489; and 6,065,840, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference, can be advantageous because such elementalsemiconductor mirrors (such as can be formed by depositing a thin filmof silicon) can be greater than 50% reflecting in the photopic (SAEJ964a measured), while being also substantially transmitting of light(up to 20% or even more). Such silicon mirrors also have the advantageof being able to be deposited onto a flat glass substrate and to be bentinto a curved (such as a convex or aspheric) curvature, which is alsoadvantageous since many passenger-side mirrors are bent or curved.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 59, an exterior rearview mirrorassembly 810 may comprise a main or primary reflective element assembly812 positioned at a bezel portion 814, with an inboard side 810 a of themirror assembly being generally toward the respective side of thevehicle and an outboard side 810 b of the mirror assembly beinggenerally outward and away from the respective side of the vehicle. Thebezel portion 814 may include a cross bar 816 (such as described in PCTpublication No. WO 02/062623, and/or in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,522,451 and6,717,712, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, and/or Ser. No. 10/817,645,filed Apr. 2, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,294, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference), which separates the generally planarprimary reflective element 812 from an auxiliary or curved or morecurved reflective element 818 (which may be curved with a smaller radiusof curvature than that of the main reflective element 812).

Curved reflective element 818 (that may however, and optionally, be aflat element) may be an electro-optically active reflective element(such as an electrochromic reflective element) or it may be anon-electro-optic, reflectivity-invariant reflective element, such as achromium or other metal reflector coated glass or plastic substrate. Forexample, a plastic molding can be made (from an optically transmittingmaterial such as acrylic or polycarbonate or CR-39 or COC olefin or thelike). The polymeric surface may be activated (such as via a plasmatreatment or via ion bombardment or the like) in order to enhance theadhesion of coatings deposited thereon, and a thin metal film may becoated thereon to function as a mirror reflector coating (and/or thepolymeric surface may be primed/treated chemically to enhance metalcoating adhesion thereto). For example, a thin film of chromium (or analloy of chromium such as a chrome/nickel alloy) or another metal oralloy of a metal, such as of Inconel or titanium, or a steel orHastelloy or nickel or the like, can be deposited onto the activatedpolymer substrate surface (such as via sputtering in a vacuum chamber).Thereafter, the now deposited metal reflector coating may be itselfactivated/primed, and then an optically transmitting layer or layers(such as of a metal oxide, such as silicon dioxide or titanium dioxideor of a silicone or other chemical coating) can be overcoated over themetal reflector layer (or layers) to serve as a mechanical protectorantand/or as an environmental protectorant (such an overcoat(s) may imparta tinting or hydrophilic property). Should the mirror element be a firstsurface mirror as such is known in the automotive mirror art, then thereis no need to have the substrate be optically transmitting to visiblelight, and so this widens the latitude of choice for the polymer resinmaterial from which to mold or cast the plastic substrate [and thusallow use of low transmitting/opaque resins (such as filled engineeringplastics such as a filled nylon or an ABS resin or the like) that areharder/more wear resistant than typical optical plastics]. Note that,optionally, an adhesion promoting undercoat can be deposited between themirror reflector layer(s) and the substrate surface. Also, the mirrorreflector layer and any adhesion-promoting underlayers can be a singlelayer or may comprise multilayers. Besides being applicable to theauxiliary spotter mirror as described above, these concepts can beapplied to the main mirror reflective element also.

The bezel portion 814 may include a plurality of illumination sources820, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or the like, such as describedin PCT Publication No. WO 02/062623, and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference. As shown in FIGS. 59 and60, the LEDs 820 may be arranged at an outboard apex or corner 814 a ofbezel 814, such that activation of or illumination of LEDs 820 may besuggestive of a turn indicator or arrow when the vehicle is signalingthat it will be turning left or right. The LEDs 820 may be arrangedalong and around the apex or upper, outboard corner 814 a of the bezel814 to generally form an arrow-shape that points generally outboard andupward with respect to the vehicle). Optionally, however, the LEDs 820may be positioned or arranged along and around the lower, outboardcorner 814 b of the bezel to generally form an arrow-shape that pointsgenerally outboard and downward with respect to the vehicle, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 59, crossbar 816 may extend along the mirror face and between the upper andoutboard sides of the bezel, and may include illumination sources 822,such as LEDs or the like. Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 60, the crossbar 816′ of mirror assembly 810′ may not include any illuminationsources or the like. Other types of bezels with or without a cross barmay be implemented, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. For example, a mirror assembly 810″ (FIG. 61) may have abezel portion 814′ and may not include the cross bar and may have asingle reflective element 812′, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention. Also, for example, and with reference to FIG. 62, theexterior rearview mirror assembly 810′″ may have the illuminationsources 820 around a bezel portion 814″ that is rounded as shown (or inother shapes).

Preferably, the LEDs of the mirror assemblies of FIGS. 59-62 arerecessed into the bezel and more preferably, are angled away from theside of the vehicle so as to be not readily viewable by the driver ofthe vehicle. Optionally, the bezel may include a small cowling or shieldor baffle to partially conceal the lights from the driver so as toprovide an affirmative shield so that the lights are partially orsubstantially or entirely non-viewable by or unnoticeable to the driverof the vehicle, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,371,659;5,863,116; 5,497,306; 5,823,654; and/or 5,669,699, and/or in PCTPublication No. WO 02/062623, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, the exterior rearview mirror assembly and/or vehicle mayinclude a spraying device at or near the mirror assembly that isoperable to spray heated fluid, such as windshield wiper fluid or thelike onto the reflective element of the mirror assembly, in order toclean and/or device or clear the reflective element. Preferably, thefluid that is sprayed onto the reflective element is heated, such as bya heating device of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,669,109;6,615,438; 6,164,564; 6,719,215; 6,620,608; 5,509,606; 5,354,965; and/or5,183,099, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Forexample, the spraying device may comprise a pipe or conduit that is influid communication with a heated fluid reservoir intended for thewindshield, and may include a separate pump or the like for deliveringand spraying the fluid at and on the reflective element of the rearviewmirror assembly.

The heated fluid thus may be sprayed onto the reflective element tode-ice the reflective element when the reflective element is iced over.The spraying device may include a pump or the like for pumping the fluidthrough a nozzle or outlet, and may be activated by a user input or thelike, so that a user (such as the driver of the vehicle) may selectivelyspray or device the reflective element when desired. Optionally, thespraying device may be automatically actuated to spray the reflectiveelement, such as in response to a detection of the temperature (such asvia an exterior temperature sensor of the vehicle or of the mirrorassembly) being at or below a threshold level (such as, for example, ator below 5 degrees Celsius or other threshold). Optionally, the sprayingdevice may be automatically actuated when the temperature reaches thethreshold temperature and/or in response to a user input, such asactuation of a key fob or remote keyless entry device or actuation of aremote ignition starter or actuation of the vehicle ignition or thelike. Optionally, the outer surface of the reflective element may becoated with a hydrophobic or hydrophilic coating or property.

Optionally, a transflective reflective element assembly such as thetypes described above or other types of reflective element assemblies(such as, for example, the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,663;5,724,187; and 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, and/or inInternational Publication Nos. WO 2004/026633 and/or WO 2004/042457,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference) may be utilizedin other applications by reversing the orientation of the assembly orcell such that a person or occupant of the vehicle typically viewsthrough the assembly from the fourth surface side of the assemblythrough the assembly to view a scene occurring at the first surface sideof the assembly. In such an application, the assembly may function as awindow when the electrochromic medium is not energized or darkened, suchthat the person may readily view a scene through the assembly. This isbecause the transflective mirror assemblies are substantiallytransmissive to light transmitting through the mirror assembly in eitherdirection, but are not as transmissive when viewed through the rear ofthe assembly (i.e. in the opposite direction that one would normallyview the assembly when it is implemented in a rearview mirror assembly)when the electrochromic medium is colored or darkened. The cell orassembly thus may function as a window when a scene is viewed throughthe mirror assembly from the rear or fourth surface side of the mirrorassembly. However, when the electrochromic medium is darkened orcolored, the transmissivity of the mirror assembly is decreased, which,to the eye of the observer, appears to enhance the reflectivity of themirror assembly when viewed from the rear of the mirror assembly. Themirror assembly thus may function substantially as a mirror when theelectrochromic medium is colored or darkened.

Optionally, and as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/817,874, filed Mar. 26, 2001 by Quist et al. for INTERACTIVEAUTOMOTIVE REARVISION SYSTEM, incorporated above, an interior rearviewmirror assembly may include a touch sensitive element 1026 (FIGS. 63 and64). A schematic of an interactive rearview mirror system 1010 is shownin FIG. 63. Mirror system 1010 includes an interior mirror assembly1011, which incorporates a reflective element 1012. Reflective element1012 is housed in a casing 1014, which is mounted to an interior portionof a vehicle, such as vehicle windshield 1024, by a support arm 1018.Optionally, casing 1014 is pivotably mounted to support arm 1018, whichattaches via a mount 1020 to a mounting button 1022 that is adhered tovehicle windshield 1024 (note that alternately, mounting, of theassembly can be to the header region of the vehicle, as known in themirror arts and/or can be a single pivot/ball joint or a two pivot/balljoint). Examples of suitable mounting arrangements can be found in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,487,522; 5,671,996; 5,820,097; 5,615,857; 5,330,149;5,100,095; 4,930,742; 4,936,533 or 5,820,097.

The outermost or front surface of reflective element 1012 comprises aselector element, such as a touch sensitive element 1026. For suitabletouch sensitive elements, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,486and 6,087,012, and U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/213,663,filed Jun. 23, 2000; Ser. No. 60/231,096, filed Sep. 8, 2000; Ser. No.60/239,788, filed Oct. 12, 2000; Ser. No. 60/234,867, filed Sep. 22,2000; Ser. No. 60/244,577, filed Oct. 31, 2000.

Optionally, a display element 1028 (and most preferably a reconfigurabledisplay element) is mounted at the rearmost or outermost surface ofreflective element 12 so as to be at least partially (preferablysubstantially and most preferably fully) viewed through reflectiveelement 12. However, other locations for display elements are possible,such as mounting to the side of, above, or below reflective element1012, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268.

Interactive mirror system 1010 includes a control 1030 that mostpreferably is located within casing 1014. As shown schematically in FIG.64, user interaction with touch sensitive element 1026 (such as bytouching or at least closely approaching with a human finger or, lesspreferably, by touching with a stylus or at least closely approachingwith a stylus), preferably a transparent touch sensitive element,generates an output signal 1027 indicative of user interaction that isinput to control 1030. In response, control 1030 provides an output 1031to display element 1028 to cause display element 1028 to display thevehicle function or information desired by the driver. Display element1028 may perform a single display function or multiple displayfunctions, such as providing indication of a vehicle function orfunctions, including a family of functions of a plurality of family offunctions, for example a compass mirror display function, a temperaturedisplay function, a tire pressure/status display function, a status ofinflation of tires display function, a GPS/navigation system function, atelematic function, computer display function, including e-mails andINTERNET access, a passenger air bag disabled display function, anautomatic rain sensor operation display function, telephone dialinformation display function, highway status information displayfunction, blind spot indicator display function, or the like.

Touch sensitive element 1026 can be a capacitive type or a resistivetype or an inductive type, such as are known in the touch panel arts,including such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,798,370; 4,198,539;4,661,655; 4,731,508; 4,822,957; 5,045,644; 6,001,486; and 6,087,012,and U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/213,663, filed Jun. 23,2000; Ser. No. 60/231,096, filed Sep. 8, 2000; Ser. No. 60/239,788,filed Oct. 12, 2000; Ser. No. 60/234,867, filed Sep. 22, 2000; Ser. No.60/244,577, filed Oct. 31, 2000. Also, the touch inputs of this presentinvention do not necessarily require physical contact between thedriver's finger and touch sensitive element 1026. Close approach of thedriver's finger (or a stylus) to the touch sensitive surface may sufficeto achieve a touch input. This can thus be by non-contacting input or bycontacting input by a variety of means such as thermal or pyrodetection, capacitive or inductive detection, resistive sensing,electromagnetic disturbance sensing or the like. Optionally, a readingof the fingerprint of the person touching the mirror reflector can betaken to verify identity of the person and so authorize particularactions in response (such as turning on the vehicle ignition, such as tostart the engine, conducting a remote banking transaction, identifying aperson for the purpose of setting vehicle accessories such as seatposition, mirror position, climate control, audio system controls, ridesystem, and the like to the particular setting preferred by thatindividual person such as is common in vehicle memory systems).

Touch sensitive element 1026 can comprise a transparent conductivecoating or stack of coatings, such as of indium tin oxide, tin oxide,doped tin oxide, doped zinc oxide, or any other transparent conductorcoating or stack known in the touch screen arts, and can be part of a4-wire system or a 5-wire system as such are known in the touch screenart, or can be a capacitive-type touch screen.

Preferably, touch screen element 1026 and display element 1028 arereconfigurable so that each can be associated with more than onefunction. Dependent on the particular circumstance, an in-vehiclemicroprocessor can create on touch screen element 1026 and displayelement 1028 whatever icon, highlight or display is desired presented tothe driver. In addition, one of the touch screen elements (1026) may beused to toggle between the various available functions for a given touchscreen element 1026.

Note that the display that the driver touches via touch screen element1026 can be generated by display element 1028 itself or alternately, bya separate display located behind the mirror reflector. In such aconfiguration where a display element is behind the mirror reflector,the reflective mirror coating of the mirror reflective element can belocally at least partially removed at the location of the displayelement disposed behind the mirror element. Optionally, where all thereflective mirror coating is removed, a semitransparent butsignificantly reflecting coating or series of coatings (such as a thinmetal film coating or a multilayer of coatings, including a thin metalcoating of silver, aluminum, rhodium, (or their alloys), or the like, ora dichroic coating or coating stack, can be used that substantiallymasks the display element from driver notice until the display elementis powered to display information, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,668,663 and 5,724,187. Such has been described as “display on demand”in the art. Such display can include a “display on demand” such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,663 and 5,724,187 noted above. In thisregard, it is preferable that the display be a light emitting display,such as a fluorescent display, a vacuum fluorescent display, a fieldemission display, an electroluminescent display, a fluorescent display,a plasma display, or a light emitting diode display, such as an organicor inorganic light emitting diode display. Alternatively, the reflectiveelement may comprise a substantially reflecting, significantly lighttransmitting reflective element, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,668,663 and 5,724,187 noted above. An example, such as asemitransparent reflector would be a third surface reflector coated onthe third surface of an electrochromic mirror element, as known in theelectrochromic mirror art, consisting of a thin metal coating (such asof silver, silver alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy) that is significantlyreflecting but also significantly transmitting and that, preferably, isovercoated with a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide whencontacting an electrochromic medium (preferably an electrochromic solidpolymer film) when serving as a combined third surfacereflector/conductor layer in an electrochromic laminate cellconstruction. For further details of suitable reflective elements withportions of the reflective mirror coating adapted to permit light totransmit through the reflective element or of a highlyreflecting/significantly transflective reflective element, reference ismade to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,663 and 5,724,187.

Optionally, an interactive mirror assembly may comprise a touch screenupon which, on its outermost surface, is comprised a touch sensitiveelement, such as a touch sensitive element comprising a transparentelectronic conducting coating of indium tin oxide.

Optionally, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,187, incorporatedabove, a mirror reflective element assembly 1101 may include front andrear substrates that may be flush or offset relative to one another. Forexample, and with reference to FIGS. 65 and 66A-C, an exposed portion ofthe conductive electrode coatings 1104, 1104′ may be provided throughdisplacement in opposite directions relative to one another—i.e.,laterally from, but parallel to, the cavity which is created by thesubstrates 1102, 1103 and the sealing means 1105 of the substrates 1102,1103 onto which the bus bars may be affixed or adhered (see FIG. 66A).In addition, substrates 1102, 1103 may be off-set to provide an exposedportion of the conductive electrode coatings 1104, 1104′ throughdisplacement in opposite directions relative to one another followed byperpendicular displacement relative to one another (see FIG. 66B). Thedimensions of substrates 1102, 1103 may also be such that, for example,substrate 1102 may have a greater width and/or length than substrate1103. Thus, simply by positioning substrates 1102, 1103 in spaced-apartrelationship and so that their central portions are aligned will allowfor peripheral edges of the substrate with greater dimensions to extendbeyond the peripheral edges of the substrate with smaller dimensions.Thus, a portion of conductive electrode coating 1104 or 1104′ will beexposed, depending on whichever of substrates 1102, 1103 is dimensionedwith a larger width and/or length (see FIG. 66C).

An exposed portion of the conductive electrode coatings 1104, 1104′ mayalso be provided in a flush design, where the substrates 1102, 1103 aresized and shaped to like dimensions. In such a flush design, the firstsubstrate 1102 and the second substrate 1103 may each be notched atappropriate positions along their respective edges. The notches soprovided present convenient areas for bus bars and/or point contacts towhich are connected or affixed electrical leads 1110 for theintroduction of an applied potential thereto.

It may also be desirable to apply a layer of reflective material ontothe inward surface of substrate 1103, and with substrate 1103 notched inat least one appropriate position along its edges. In this way, directaccess is available to the conductive electrode coated inward surface ofsubstrate 1102. Likewise, substrate 1102 may be notched at a positionappropriately spaced from the notch or notches on substrate 1103 toprovide access to the conductive electrode coated inward surface ofsubstrate 1103. These notches provide convenient areas for electricalleads to be connected or affixed, and allow for such connection oraffixation to be made within the overall dimensions of the mirrorassembly. For example, one or both of the substrates 1102, 1103 may benotched along one or more edges, and bus bars may then be affixed overthe exposed portion of conductive electrode coatings 1104, 1104′ ofsubstrates 1102, 1103. Electrical leads may then be joined to the busbars. The electrical connection may be made to the inward surfaces ofsubstrates 1102, 1103 without requiring further electrical connection onthe peripheral edge of the mirror assembly. As such, the electricalconnection to conductive electrode coatings 1104, 1104′ will be hiddenfrom view by the reflective element and/or the mirror case or housing.

Alternatively, one or more localized lobe(s) may be provided atappropriate positions along the respective edges of substrates 1102,1103 to facilitate direct access to the conductive coated inwardsurfaces of substrates 1102, 1103.

The bus bars may also comprise thin metal films, preferably with athickness within the range of about 500 Å to about 50,000 Å or greater.These thin metal film bus bars may be deposited onto conductiveelectrode 1104 and/or 1104′ by vacuum deposition, such as by evaporationor sputtering, and typically have a width within the range of about 0.05mm to about 6 mm (and preferably with a thickness in the range of 0.05μm to about 5 μm or greater) and are inboard from the perimeter edge ofthe substrate.

To form the thin metal film bus bars, a mask may be affixed over thecentral region of the substantially transparent conductive electrodecoated substrate leaving at least a portion, and preferably most, of theperimeter region unmasked. Then a thin film of metal, such as chromiumand/or silver, or other metals such as copper, titanium, steel,nickel-based alloys, and the like, may be deposited using a vacuumdeposition process across the entire surface, coating both the maskedcentral region and the unmasked perimetal region. Thereafter, the maskmay be removed leaving the central region of the substrate transparentand with a conducting thin metal film bus bar deposited on at least aportion of the perimetal region. For manufacturing economy, it may bedesirable to establish thin metal film bus bars on the inward surface ofsubstrate 1102, conductive electrode coating 1104′ and electrochromicsolid film 1107 in a unitary vacuum deposition process step. Thus, itmay be convenient to overlay in central alignment, for example,substrate 1103 (being uncoated glass) onto the substantially transparentconductive electrode coated surface of substrate 1102, where substrate1103 is sized and shaped 30 about 2 mm to about 4 mm smaller in bothlength and width than substrate 1102 (see e.g., FIG. 66C). A peripheraledge of substrate 1102 of about 2 mm to about 4 mm will then extendbeyond the peripheral edge of substrate 1103. In this instance,substrate 1102 is made, for example, from ITO-coated glass, andsubstrate 1103 is made from clear soda-lime glass. With thisconfiguration, a vacuum deposition process may be used to deposit a thinmetal film and, optionally, a metal oxide thereover, across the entiresurface.

Upon completion of the deposition process, the substrates 1102, 1103 maybe separated from one another. The formation of a thin metal film busbar consisting of a chromium/silver coating about the peripheral edge ofsubstrate 1102 may then be seen where, because of its smallerdimensions, substrate 1103 has served the role of a mask to the major,central region of substrate 1102 during deposition. That is, whensubstrate 1103 is removed, the major, central region of substrate 1102has not been coated during the deposition and the transparency of themajor, central region of substrate 1102 is maintained. Because this thinmetal film bus bar is highly conductive and extends about the entireperiphery of substrate 1102, electric potential may be supplied by meansof a point electrical contact (optionally with local removal of anymetal oxide) without the need for a large metal clip or ribbon connectorwire as has been conventionally used heretofore. Moreover, because thethin metal film bus bar consists of a chromium/silver coating it forms ahighly reflective perimeter coating which may be used to conceal anyseal and/or electrical connection for the electrochromic cell [See U.S.Pat. No. 5,060,112 (Lynam)].

Also, whether the sealing means 1105 is a single seal or a double seal,it may be desirable for the seal material to comprise a cured conductiveadhesive so that the seal, or at least a portion thereof, may provide,in whole or at least in part, an electrical bus bar function around theperimeter of a substrate of the assembly. When using such a combinedseal and bus bar, care should be taken to avoid electrically shortingthe inward facing surfaces of substrates 1102 and 1103. To obviate this,a seal construction, such as that shown in FIG. 67A, may be used. Withreference to FIG. 67A, substrates 1420 and 1430 are coated on theirinwardly facing surfaces with electrical conductor electrodes 1420′ and1430′. The substrates 1420, 1430 are mated together with the compoundseal 1450. The compound seal 1450 includes a conducting seal layer 1450A(formed, for example, of a conducting epoxy such as is described below)and a non-conducting, electrically insulating seal layer 1450B (formed,for example, of a conventional, non-conducting epoxy), which serves toinsulate the two conducting electrodes from electrically shorting viaconducting seal layer 1450A. Since the compound seal 1450 essentiallycircumscribes the edge perimeter of the part, the conducting seal layer1450A (to which electrical potential may be connected to via theelectrical lead 1490) serves as an electrically conductive bus bar thatdistributes applied electrical power more evenly around and across theelectrochromic medium (not shown) sandwiched between the substrates 1420and 1430.

Where the electrical conductor electrode 1420′, 1430′ on at least one ofthe opposing surfaces of the substrates 1420, 1430 is removed (or wasnever coated) in the region of the peripheral edge (as shown in FIG.67B), a unitary conducting seal (as opposed to 35 the compound seal ofFIG. 67A) may be used. Reference to FIG. 67B shows the electricallyconducting seal 1450A joining the electrical conductor electrode 1430′on the surface of substrate 1430 to a bare, uncoated surface of opposingsubstrate 1420. Since the contact area of the conducting seal layer1450A to the substrate 1420 is devoid of the electrical conductorelectrode 1420′, the conducting seal layer 1450A does not short theelectrodes 1420′ and 1430′. Conducting seal layer 1450A serves the dualrole of bus bar and seal, yielding economy and ease in devicefabrication and production. Conducting seal layer 1450A may form asingle seal for the cell or may be one of a double seal formed, forexample, when a conventional, non-conducting epoxy is used inboard ofthat conducting seal.

Such a construction is particularly amenable to devices, such as thosedepicted in FIG. 65. For instance, in a rearview mirror, a fixture canform a mask around the edge substrate perimeter, while an adhesion layerof chromium followed by a reflector layer of aluminum followed by anelectrochromic layer of tungsten oxide are deposited. Once removed fromsuch a coating fixture, the edges, as masked by the coating fixture, areuncoated and present a bare glass surface for joining via a conductiveepoxy seal to an opposing transparent conductor coated substrate. Insuch a configuration, the conductive seal can serve as a bus bar for thetransparent conductor coated substrate it contacts without shorting tothe reflector/adhesion layers on the opposite substrate.

As described supra, it may be advantageous to construct electrochromicmirrors whose reflective element is located within the laminateassembly. This may be achieved by coating the inward surface ofsubstrate 1103 with a layer of reflective material, such as silver, sothat the silver coating (along with any adhesion promoter layers) isprotected from the outside environment. For example, a layer ofreflective material may be vacuum deposited onto the inward surface ofsubstrate 1103 in one and the same process step as the subsequentdeposition of the electrochromic solid film 1107 onto substrate 1103.This construction and process for producing the same not only becomesmore economical from a manufacturing standpoint, but also achieves highoptical performance since uniformity of reflectance across the entiresurface area of the mirror is enhanced. The thin film stack [whichcomprises the electrochromic solid film 1107 (e.g., tungsten oxide), thelayer of reflective material (e.g., silver or aluminum) and anyundercoat layers between the layer of reflective material and substrate1103] should have a light reflectance within the range of at least about70% to greater than about 80%, with a light transmission within therange of about 1% to about 20%. Preferably, the light transmission iswithin the range of about 3% to about 20%, and more preferably withinthe range of about 4% to about 8%, with a light reflectance greater thanabout 80%.

The inward facing surface of substrate 1103 may be coated with amulti-layer partially transmitting/substantially reflecting conductorcomprising a partially transmitting (preferably, in the range of about1% to about 20%)/substantially reflecting (preferably, greater thanabout 70% reflectance, and more preferably, greater than about 80%reflectance) metal layer (preferably, a silver or aluminum coating) thatis overcoated with an at least partially conducting transparentconductor metal oxide layer [comprising a doped or undoped tin oxidelayer, a doped or undoped indium oxide layer (such as indium tin oxide)or the like]. Optionally, an undercoating metal oxide (or another atleast partially transmitting metal compound layer, such as a metalnitride like titanium nitride) may be included in the stack whichcomprises the multilayer conductor. This multi-layer conductor functionsas the reflective element, and can be overcoated with electrochromicsolid film 1107 during fabrication of an electrochromic mirrorincorporating on demand displays.

Alternatively, the multi-layer conductor described supra may be used onthe inward surface of substrate 1103, with the electrochromic solid film1107 coated onto the inward surface of substrate 1102.

A light reflectance of at least 70% (preferably, at least 80%) for thereflective element to be used in an electrochromic mirror incorporatingon demand displays is desirable so that the bleached (unpowered)reflectivity of the electrochromic mirror can be at least 55%(preferably, at least 65%) as measured using SAE J964a, which is therecommended procedure for measuring reflectivity of rearview mirrors forautomobiles. Likewise, a transmission through the reflective element of,preferably, between about 1% to 20% transmission, but not much more thanabout 30% transmission (measured using Illuminant A, a photopicdetector, and at near ‘normal incidence) is desirable so that emittingdisplays disposed behind the reflective element of the electrochromicmirror are adequately visible when powered, even by day but, whenunpowered and not emitting, the displays (along with any othercomponents, circuitry, backing members, case structures, wiring and thelike) are not substantially distinguishable or visible to the driver andvehicle occupants.

Optionally, the outermost surface of the substrate (i.e., the surfacecontacted by the outdoor elements including rain, dew and the like when,for example, the substrate forms the outer substrate of an interior orexterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle constructed) can be adaptedto have an anti-wetting property. For example, the outermost glasssurface of an exterior electrochromic rearview mirror can be adapted soas to be hydrophobic. This reduces wetting by water droplets and helpsto obviate loss in optical clarity in the reflected image off theexterior mirror when driven during rain and the like, caused by beads ofwater forming on the outermost surface of the exterior electrochromicmirror assembly. Preferably, the outermost glass surface of theelectrochromic mirror assembly is modified, treated or coated so thatthe contact angle θ (which is the angle that the surface of a drop ofliquid water makes with the surface of the solid anti-wetting adaptedoutermost surface of the substrate it contacts) is preferably greaterthan about 90 degrees, more preferably greater than about 120 degreesand most preferably greater than about 150 degrees. The outermostsurface of the substrate may be rendered anti-wetting by a variety ofmeans including ion bombardment with high energy, high atomic weightions, or application thereto of a layer or coating (that itself exhibitsan anti-wetting property) comprising an inorganic or organic matrixincorporating organic moieties that increase the contact angle of watercontacted thereon. For example, a urethane coating incorporatingsilicone moieties (such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,012) may beused. Also, to enhance durability, diamond-like carbon coatings, such asare deposited by chemical vapor deposition processes, can be used as ananti-wetting means on, for example, electrochromic mirrors, windows anddevices.

Double image performance in rearview mirrors is greatly assisted by theuse of a vacuum-assisted sealing technique. An example of such atechnique is a vacuum bag technique where, spacer means, such as spacerbeads, are disposed across the surfaces of the substrates being mated,and a vacuum is used to better assure substrate to substrate conformity.It is preferable for at least one substrate (usually the first or frontsubstrate) to be thinner than the other, and preferably for at least onesubstrate to have a thickness of 0.075″ or less, with a thickness of0.063″ or less being more preferable, and with a thickness of 0.043″ orless being most preferable. This improvement in double image performanceis particularly desirable when producing convex or multi-radius outsidemirror parts, and when producing large area parts (such as, Class 8heavy truck mirrors), and especially when vacuum backfilling is used intheir production.

For exterior mirrors that have an area of at least about 140 cm², it isdesirable to place at least some rigid spacer means (such as precisionglass beads) at locations within the interpane space between thesubstrates in the laminate electrochromic cell. Preferably, such spacerbeads are chosen to have a refractive index within the range of about1.4 to about 1.6 so that they optically match the refractive index ofthe substrates (typically glass) and the electrolyte. These rigid spacerbeads not only assist conformity and uniformity of interpane spacing,but also help maintain the integrity of peripheral seals on exteriorrearview mirrors assemblies that use a liquid or thickened liquid. Forinstance, the peripheral seal may burst if an installer or vehicle ownerpresses on the mirror at its center and causes a hydraulic pressurebuild-up at the perimeter seal due to the compression of the fluid orthickened fluid at the part center. Use of such spacer beads,particularly when located at the center of the part within the interpanespace, are beneficial in this regard whether the exterior rearviewmirror is a flat mirror, convex mirror or multi-radius mirror, and isparticularly beneficial when at least the first or front substrate (thesubstrate touched by the vehicle operator or service installer) isrelatively thin glass, such as with a thickness of about 0.075″ or less.Use of, for example, two substrates, each having a thickness of about0.075″ or less, for exterior rearview mirrors, including large areamirrors of area greater than about 140 cm², has numerous advantagesincluding reduced weight (reduces vibration and facilitates manually-and electrically-actuated mirror adjustment in the mirror housing),better double-image performance, and more accurate bending forconvex/multi-radius parts.

Optionally, on demand displays may be positioned behind the reflectiveelement of the mirror and become activated by user input or by inputfrom a sensor, such as a supplementary vision device (e.g., camera,sensor, proximity detector, blind-spot detector, infrared and microwavedetector), temperature sensor, fuel sensor, fault detector, compasssensor, global positioning satellite detector, hazard detector or thelike. In addition, a vehicle function (such as a turn signal, handbrake, foot brake, high beam selection, gear change, memory featureselection and the like) may activate the on demand display. The ondemand display may also be activated by a function such as a compass,clock, a message center, a speedometer, an engine revolution per unitmeter and the like. In the context of their use in conjunction withrearview mirrors for motor vehicles, an on demand display, when notactive or activated, should desirably remain at least substantiallyunobservable or undetectable by the driver and/or passengers. Similarly,in other applications with which these on demand displays may bedesirably used, they should remain at least substantially unobservableor undetectable when not activated.

On demand displays should be an emitting electronic display, such as avacuum fluorescent display, a light emitting diode, a gas dischargedisplay, a plasma display, a cathode ray tube, an electroluminescentdisplay and the like.

If a display is to be mounted behind the reflective element, anappropriately sized and shaped aperture through the auxiliary heatingmeans should be used to accommodate the display but not leave portionsof the mirror unheated for de-icing or de-misting purposes. Likewise,should a heat distribution pad be used, such as an aluminum or copperfoil as described in the '676 application, an appropriately sized andshaped aperture should also be provided therein to accommodate suchdisplays. Where apertures are to be included in a PTC heater pad, apattern of resistive electrodes which contact the conductive polymer,which may typically be applied by a silk-screening process as describedin Friel, should be designed to accommodate the apertures in the pad. Inaddition, such a pattern may also be useful to thermally compensate forthe apertures in the pad. Alternatively, the resistiveelectrode/conductive polymer combination may be applied, for example,directly onto the rearmost (non-inward) surface of substrate 3, or ontoa heat distribution pad that is contacted and/or adhered thereto.

It may also be advantageous to provide mirrors in the form of a module,which module comprises the mirror itself and its electrical connectionmeans (e.g., electrical leads); any heater pad (optionally, including aheat distribution pad) and associated electrical connection means; bezelframes; retaining members (e.g., a one-piece plate) and electricalconnection means (see e.g., O'Farrell); actuators [e.g., Model No.H16-49-8001 (right-hand mirror) and Model No. H16-49-8051 (left-handmirror), commercially available from Matsuyama, Kawoge City, Japan] orplanetary-gear actuators [see, U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,899 (Oskamo) and the'947 application] or memory actuators that include memory controlcircuitry such as Small Electrical Actuator #966/001 which includes a 4ear adjusting ring, 25 degree travel and an add-on memory control and isavailable from Industrie Koot B. V. (IKU) of Montfort, Netherlands; andbrackets for mounting the module within the casing or housing of amirror assembly such as taught by and described in the '947 application.Electrochromic mirrors may be assembled using these items to providemodules suitable for use with a mirror casing or housing that includesthe electrochromic element, which incorporates the reflective elementand any associated components such as heater means, bezel means,electrically or manually operable actuation means, mounting means andelectrical connection means. These components may be pre-assembled intoa module that is substantially sealed from the outside environmentthrough the use of sealants like silicones, epoxies, epoxides, urethanesand the like. These components may also be formed and/or assembled in anintegral molding process, such as with those processes described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,139,234 (Morgan) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,625 (Weaver), eachof which describe suitable molding processes in the context of modularwindow encapsulation. An added-value electrochromic mirror module,including the actuators which allow adjustment and selection ofreflector field of view when mounted within the outside mirror housingsattached to the driver-side and passenger-side of a vehicle, may bepre-assembled and supplied to outside vehicular mirror housingmanufacturers to facilitate ease and economy of manufacturing.

Many aspects of the present invention, particularly those relating tothe use of PRM and emitting displays; glass cover sheets, foils and thelike; and thin film metal coatings that are applied locally and that aresubstantially reflecting and partially transmitting, may of course beemployed with non-electrochromic rearview mirrors for motor vehicles,such as conventional prismatic mirrors. For instance, with exteriorrearview mirrors for motor vehicles, a driver-side rearview mirror and apassenger-side rearview mirror may be mounted in combination on a motorvehicle to be used to complement one another and enhance the driver'srearward field of view. One of such mirrors may be an electrochromicmirror and the other mirror may be a non-electrochromic mirror, such asa chromed-glass mirror, with both exterior mirrors benefiting from theseaspects of the present invention. In addition, these aspects of thepresent invention may be employed in connection with a display windowthat has been established in a prismatic mirror.

Optionally, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,663, incorporatedabove, one or more localized lobe(s) may be provided at appropriatepositions along the respective edges of substrates 1102, 1103 tofacilitate direct access to the conductive coated inward surfaces ofsubstrates 1102, 1103.

The bus bars may also comprise thin metal films, preferably with athickness within the range of about 500 Angstroms to about 50,000Angstroms or greater. These thin metal film bus bars may be depositedonto conductive electrode 1104 and/or 1104′ by vacuum deposition, suchas by evaporation or sputtering, and typically have a width within therange of about 0.05 mm to about 6 mm (and preferably with a thickness inthe range of 0.05 μm to about 5 μm or greater) and are inboard from theperimeter edge of the substrate.

To form the thin metal film bus bars, a mask may be affixed over thecentral region of the substantially transparent conductive electrodecoated substrate leaving at least a portion, and preferably most, of theperimeter region unmasked. Then a thin film of metal, such as chromiumand/or silver, or other metals such as copper, titanium, steel,nickel-based alloys, and the like, may be deposited using a vacuumdeposition process across the entire surface, coating both the maskedcentral region and the unmasked perimetal region. Thereafter, the maskmay be removed leaving the central region of the substrate transparentand with a conducting thin metal film bus bar deposited on at least aportion of the perimetal region. For manufacturing economy, it may bedesirable to establish thin metal film bus bars on the inward surface ofsubstrate 1102, conductive electrode coating 1104′ and electrochromicsolid film 1107 in a unitary vacuum deposition process step. Thus, itmay be convenient to overlay in central alignment, for example,substrate 1103 (being uncoated glass) onto the substantially transparentconductive electrode coated surface of substrate 1102, where substrate1103 is sized and shaped about 2 mm to about 4 mm smaller in both lengthand width than substrate 1102 (see e.g., FIG. 66C). A peripheral edge ofsubstrate 1102 of about 2 mm to about 4 mm will then extend beyond theperipheral edge of substrate 1103. In this instance, substrate 1102 ismade, for example, from ITO-coated glass, and substrate 1103 is madefrom clear soda-lime glass. With this configuration, a vacuum depositionprocess may be used to deposit a thin metal film and, optionally, ametal oxide thereover, across the entire surface.

Upon completion of the deposition process, the substrates 1102, 1103 maybe separated from one another. The formation of a thin metal film busbar consisting of a chromium/silver coating about the peripheral edge ofsubstrate 1102 may then be seen where, because of its smallerdimensions, substrate 1103 has served the role of a mask to the major,central region of substrate 1102 during deposition. That is, whensubstrate 1103 is removed, the major, central region of substrate 1102has not been coated during the deposition and the transparency of themajor, central region of substrate 1102 is maintained. Because this thinmetal film bus bar is highly conductive and extends about the entireperiphery of substrate 1102, electric potential may be supplied by meansof a point electrical contact (optionally with local removal of anymetal oxide) without the need for a large metal clip or ribbon connectorwire as has been conventionally used heretofore. Moreover, because thethin metal film bus bar consists of a chromium/silver coating it forms ahighly reflective perimeter coating which may be used to conceal anyseal and/or electrical connection for the electrochromic cell [See U.S.Pat. No. 5,066,112 (Lynam)].

In addition, the surface of substrate 1103 which was exposed duringdeposition is now coated with a chromium/silver/tungsten oxide stack,which may be used as the inward surface in forming an electrochromiccell. The cut edge of substrate 1103 is also coated with achromium/silver coating during the unitary vacuum deposition process dueto the inevitable overspray which occurs in such a process. Thischromium/silver coating around the cut edge of substrate 1103 may itselfconveniently be used to establish an electrical connection to applypotential to electrochromic solid film 1107.

Optionally, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,663, incorporatedabove, the present teaching is well-suited for use in electrochromicmirrors having a curved functional surface, with a convex curvature, acompound curvature, a multi-radius curvature, aspherical curvature, anaspheric curvature, or combinations of such curvature (See FIG. 68).Convex electrochromic mirrors for motor vehicles may be manufacturedwith the electrochromic element of the present invention, with radii ofcurvature typically within the range of about 25″ to about 250″,preferably within the range of about 35″ to about 120″, as areconventionally known.

Multi-radius mirrors for motor vehicles, such as those described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,449,786 (McCord), may also be manufactured in accordance withthe present invention. Multi-radius mirrors for motor vehicles maytypically be used on the driver-side exterior of a motor vehicle toextend the driver's field of view and to enable the driver to see safelyand to avoid blind-spots in the rearward field of view. Generally, suchmirrors have a region of a higher radius (i.e., substantially planar orflat) closer or inboard to the driver that serves principally as theprimary driver's rear vision function and a region of a lower radius(i.e., more curved) farther or outboard from the driver that servesprincipally as the blind-spot detection zone in the mirror.

In forming spherical mirrors, such as convex exterior mirrors, oraspherical mirrors such as the multi-radius mirror 1244 in FIG. 68, theradius of curvature for the substrates to be used for the laminateassembly formed by the electrochromic element 1201 between substrates1202, 1203 should be matched. Moreover, in aspherical mirrors, the twosubstrates 1202, 1203 in the laminate assembly should be matched so thatthe local radius in one substrate, for example in the first substrate1202, is located over, and oriented to align with, its correspondinglocal radius in the other substrate, for example, in the secondsubstrate 1203 (See FIG. 68).

To achieve such radius of curvature matching, a desired shape for thesubstrates of the aspherical mirrors may be cut from a flat substrate ofdimensions greater than that of the desired multi-radius shape. Thisinitial flat substrate (“a flat minilite”) may have a rectangular,square or circular shape, or may be of the general shape of the desiredmulti-radius shape, or any other convenient alternative shape. Glasslites from which the flat minilites may be cut are desirablysubstantially colorless or tinted soda-lime sheets of glass. Inaddition, depending on the particular mirror construction and whetherthe desired bent shape derived from the flat minilite is to be employedas the front substrate 1202 or the rear substrate 1203, glass lites/flatminilites, from which the desired bent shape may be derived, may becoated with a substantially transparent conductive electrode coating,such as ITO or fluorine-doped tin oxide. As noted supra, fluorine-dopedtin oxide coated glass is commercially available from Libbey-Owens-FordCo. under the “TEC-Glass” tradename.

Once cut, the oversized flat minilites may be bent to the desiredmulti-radius using either conventional slump bending or press bending.Also, individual minilites may be bent to compound curvature or two flatminilites may be bent together as a matched pair. To manufacture amatched pair of bent minilites, two flat minilites may be stacked on topof one another, loaded in a tandem orientation into a bending press andbent together to the desired curvature (which may be spherical oraspherical) in one bending process step.

Where individual bent minilites are to be manufactured, any one bentminilite manufactured in any one bending process step is intended tomatch any other bent minilite. In electrochromic mirrors, it may beadvantageous to use the twin bent minilites manufactured in tandem oneon top of the other in the one bending operation step as a given matchedpair to assemble a laminate construction.

The desired substrates may be cut from bent minilites to the dimensionand shape suitable for use in the intended laminate construction of theparticular electrochromic mirror. To the extent that the cullet trimmedaway from the bent minilite manufactured as described supra conformsleast to the intended radius design, bending oversized minilites isrecommended. However, and particularly where the bending operation is tobe attentively supervised, the desired dimensioned shape may first becut from flat glass lites, with the desired dimensioned shape then bentto the desired multi-radius curvature.

It may be advantageous to cut multi-radius front and rear substratesfrom their respective bent minilites to facilitate proper alignment of alocal radius on the first substrate relative to its corresponding localradius on the second substrate. In this regard, a matched pair of bentminilites may be assembled into a laminate construction with the firstsubstrate laterally displaced from the second substrate, yet sustaininglocal to local radius alignment there between. In addition, should therebe an asymmetry in radius, one perimeter length, LC, of the bentminilite may be identified as the lower radius (more curved) part of theminilite compared with its opposite perimeter length, LF, identified asthe higher radius (more flat) part of that same bent minilite. Likewise,for its twin match in a matched pair of bent minilites, there may existcorresponding LC′ and LF′ perimeter lengths.

A demarcation means 1222 may be used in the multi-radius mirrors asdescribed herein to separate the more curved, outboard region 1255(i.e., that portion of an exterior driver-side multi-radius mirroroutboard and farthest from the driver) used by the driver principally asthe blind-spot detection zone from the less curved, more flat inboardregion 1265 (i.e., closer to the driver) used by the driver principallyfor the primary rear vision function (See FIG. 68).

The demarcation means 1222 may be a black or darkly colored continuousline or closely interspaced dots, dashes or spots (silk-screened orotherwise applied), which divides the outboard region from the inboardregion of the multi-radius mirror. This black or darkly colored dividingline (or its aforestated equivalent) may assist the driver of a motorvehicle to discern the difference between images in the outermost, morecurved region from those in the innermost, more flat region of themirror. The thickness of this dividing line should be within the rangeof about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm, with about 0.5 mm to about 2 mm beingpreferred.

The demarcation means 1222 may be constructed from an organic material,such as a polymer like an epoxy; an inorganic material, such as aceramic frit; or a mixed organic/inorganic material. Such demarcationmeans 1222 may be constructed to include, for example, an epoxy coupledwith glass spacer beads, or plastic tape or a die cut from plastic tape.The demarcation means may be placed onto the conductive electrodecoatings 1204, 1204′ of either or both of substrates 1202, 1203 bysilk-screening or other suitable technique prior to assembling thedevice. Also, the demarcation means 1222 may be applied to any or all ofthe surfaces of substrates 1202, 1203—i.e., the inward surfaces ofsubstrates 1202, 1203 or the opposite, non-inward surfaces of substrates1202, 1203. Additives may be included in the material used as ademarcation means to provide or enhance color, such as a dark color,like black, or dark blue or dark brown; to enhance stability (e.g.,ultraviolet stabilizing agents such as described herein); or to increaseadhesion (e.g., coupling agents, such as silane-, titanium-, orzirconium-based coupling agents). Alternatively, a dividing line may beestablished by etching a surface of substrate 1202 and/or 1203 (such asby sand blasting, laser etching or chemical etching) with optionalstaining of the etched-surface to develop a dark colored dividing line.

Where ceramic frits are used as a demarcation means and/or where busbars are formed by applying a silver conductive frit [e.g., #7713 (DuPont)] around the periphery and inboard from the edge of the inwardsurface(s) of substrate 1202 and/or substrate 1203, it may be convenientto silk-screen or otherwise apply the material to either or both of thesubstrates 1202, 1203 prior to bending. In this way, the bendingoperation serves the dual purpose of bending and firing/curing theceramic frit onto the substrates. In addition, where epoxies or otherorganic-based materials are used as the demarcation means and/ormaterials which act as bus bars, it may be convenient to silk-screen orotherwise apply the material to either or both of the substrates priorto final cure of the material used as the sealing means so that thesealing means, the demarcation means and/or material which acts as busbars may be fired/cured in one and the same operation step. A dividingline may also be established within the cavity formed between substrates1202, 1203.

A driver textural warning 1223, such as the conventional texturalwarning “objects in mirror are closer than they appear”, may be includedin the outermost more curved portion 1255 of an electrochromicmulti-radius exterior mirror according to this invention (See FIG. 68).Alternatively, a driver textural warning may be included in theinnermost less curved region 1265. Heretofore, such warnings have beenestablished through sandblasting or as described in O'Farrell.Alternatively, textural warnings may be applied by silkscreening onto asurface of one of the substrates 1202, 1203 of the mirror assembly or byother suitable techniques, such as laser etching, onto the reflectiveelement of the mirror which is coated onto a surface of substrate 1203.

Therefore, the present invention provides a controllable and selectivelytransmissive window/mirror assembly that may be viewed through when itis not energized, but may selectively function as a mirror when the cellor assembly is energized. The window/mirror assembly of the presentinvention may be suitable for use in a variety of applications. Forexample, the window/mirror assembly of the present invention may beimplemented in a visor of a vehicle. When the visor is flipped or moveddown to partially cover the upper portion of the driver's field of view,the driver may view through the window/mirror assembly when thewindow/mirror assembly is not energized. As the sun or glare mayintensify, the driver may selectively energize the window/mirrorassembly (or the window/mirror assembly may automatically energize, suchas in response to a light sensor or glare sensor or the like) to darkenor color the electrochromic medium and, thus, to change thewindow/mirror assembly to function substantially as a mirror.Optionally, the window/mirror assembly or cell may be incorporated intothe windshield of the vehicle, such as into the upper portion of thewindshield, or may be incorporated into other windows of the vehicle,such as sunroof or side or rear windows of the vehicle, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention.

The present invention thus provides a window/mirror assembly that isselectively or automatically controlled or switched between a windowfunction and a mirror function. It is further envisioned that thewindow/mirror assembly of the present invention may be achieved viaother types of controllable transmitting/blocking devices, such as, forexample, a polarizing device or the like. For example, a polarizingdevice may have two or more polarized elements, which, when oriented inone direction relative to one another, may be substantiallytransmissive, and which, when oriented in another direction relative toone another, may be substantially attenuating to light, such that aperson cannot readily view a scene through the assembly. Other types ofselectively controlled window/mirror assemblies or window/screenassemblies or the like may be implemented, without affecting the scopeof the present invention.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

What is claimed is:
 1. A variable reflectance exterior mirror reflectiveelement suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview mirrorassembly, said exterior mirror reflective element comprising: a frontsubstrate and a rear substrate; an electrochromic medium disposedbetween said front and rear substrates; wherein said front substrate hasa first surface and a second surface; said second surface of said frontsubstrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposedthereat; wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourthsurface; a mirror reflector disposed at said third surface of said rearsubstrate; wherein said mirror reflector comprises a stack of thin filmscomprising at least two thin films, and wherein said stack of thin filmscomprises at least one metal thin film; wherein a first thin film ofsaid stack of thin films comprises a material that has a specificresistivity of less than about 1×10⁻³ ohm.cm, and wherein a second thinfilm of said stack of thin films comprises a material that has aspecific resistivity of less than about 1×10⁻³ ohm.cm; wherein saidelectrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity establishedbetween said third surface of said rear substrate and said secondsurface of said front substrate and is bounded by a perimeter seal;wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of saidfront substrate; wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said secondsurface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said frontsubstrate; wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals saidperimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said frontsubstrate; wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector andpasses through said electrochromic medium and said front substrateexhibits a substantially non-spectrally selective reflectancecharacteristic to a person viewing said exterior mirror reflectiveelement when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium;wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeter layer;wherein said perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductiveperimeter layer; wherein at least a portion of said mirror reflectorextends out under said perimeter seal towards a perimeter edge of saidrear substrate; wherein a display is disposed proximate said fourthsurface of said rear substrate of said mirror reflective element;wherein said display is disposed proximate said fourth surface of saidrear substrate of said mirror reflective element at a light-transmittingportion of said mirror reflector established by laser ablation; whereinsaid display comprises at least one light emitting diode; wherein saiddisplay is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detectorof a vehicle equipped with an exterior rearview mirror assembly thatincorporates said mirror reflective element; and wherein said at leastone light emitting diode, when activated responsive to the blind spotdetector of the equipped vehicle, emits light that passes through saidlight-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector to be viewable to aperson viewing through said front substrate of said mirror reflectiveelement.
 2. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim 1, whereinsaid exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a driverside vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein saidexterior mirror reflective element comprises aspheric substrates and hasa more curved outboard region and a less curved inboard region, andwherein said outboard region is further from a driver of the equippedvehicle and said inboard region is closer to the driver of the equippedvehicle when said exterior mirror reflective element is used in a driverside vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a driverside of the equipped vehicle.
 3. The exterior mirror reflective elementof claim 2, wherein a demarcation is provided between said more curvedoutboard region and said less curved inboard region of said exteriormirror reflective element.
 4. The exterior mirror reflective element ofclaim 3, wherein said demarcation comprises one of a continuous line,closely interspaced dots, dashes and spots.
 5. The exterior mirrorreflective element of claim 1, wherein said exterior mirror reflectiveelement comprises a convex curved exterior mirror reflective element,and wherein said exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for usein a passenger side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, andwherein said front substrate comprises a front glass substrate and saidrear substrate comprises a rear glass substrate.
 6. The exterior mirrorreflective element of claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of saidmirror reflector that extends out under said seal towards a perimeteredge of said rear substrate extends towards the perimeter edge of saidrear substrate along a length dimension of said exterior mirrorreflective element.
 7. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim1, wherein said front and rear substrates are joined by said perimeterseal as uncut sheets of glass, and wherein said front and rearsubstrates are cut into mirror shapes after said perimeter seal isdisposed therebetween.
 8. The exterior mirror reflective element ofclaim 1, wherein said mirror reflector provides at least about 60percent photopic reflectance for light incident thereon measured inaccordance with Society of Automotive Engineers test procedure SAEJ964a.
 9. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim 1, whereinsaid mirror reflector has a sheet resistance of less than about 5 ohmsper square.
 10. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim 9,wherein an electrical connection is made to said portion of said mirrorreflector outboard of said perimeter seal.
 11. The exterior mirrorreflective element of claim 10, wherein said electrical connectioncomprises a conductive epoxy.
 12. The exterior mirror reflective elementof claim 11, wherein said perimeter seal is at least partially visibleto a person viewing through said rear substrate.
 13. A variablereflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for use in avehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said exterior mirrorreflective element comprising: a front substrate and a rear substrate;an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rearsubstrates; wherein said front substrate has a first surface and asecond surface; said second surface of said front substrate having atransparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat; wherein saidrear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface; a mirrorreflector disposed at a surface of said rear substrate; wherein saidmirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films comprising at least twothin films, and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least onemetal thin film; wherein a first thin film of said stack of thin filmscomprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about1×10⁻³ ohm.cm, and wherein a second thin film of said stack of thinfilms comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less thanabout 1×10⁻³ ohm.cm; wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed inan interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rearsubstrate and said second surface of said front substrate and is boundedby a perimeter seal; wherein no part of said rear substrate extendsbeyond any part of said front substrate; wherein a perimeter layer isdisposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate aperimeter edge of said front substrate; wherein said perimeter layergenerally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewingthrough said front substrate; wherein light that reflects off of saidmirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and saidfront substrate exhibits a substantially non-spectrally selectivereflectance characteristic to a person viewing said exterior mirrorreflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromicmedium; wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeterlayer; wherein said perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductiveperimeter layer; wherein at least a portion of said mirror reflectorextends out under said perimeter seal towards a perimeter edge of saidrear substrate; wherein an electrical connection is made to said portionof said mirror reflector outboard of said perimeter seal; wherein adisplay is disposed proximate said fourth surface of said rear substrateof said mirror reflective element; wherein said display is disposedproximate said fourth surface of said rear substrate of said mirrorreflective element at a light-transmitting portion of said mirrorreflector established by laser ablation; wherein said display comprisesat least one light emitting diode; wherein said display is configured tobe operated responsive to a blind spot detector of a vehicle equippedwith an exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates said mirrorreflective element; wherein said at least one light emitting diode, whenactivated responsive to the blind spot detector of the equipped vehicle,emits light that passes through said light-transmitting portion of saidmirror reflector to be viewable to a person viewing through said frontsubstrate of said mirror reflective element; and wherein said frontsubstrate comprises a front glass substrate and said rear substratecomprises a rear glass substrate.
 14. The exterior mirror reflectiveelement of claim 13, wherein said mirror reflector has a sheetresistance of less than about 5 ohms per square.
 15. The exterior mirrorreflective element of claim 13, wherein said electrical connectioncomprises a conductive epoxy.
 16. The exterior mirror reflective elementof claim 13, wherein said perimeter seal is at least partially visibleto a person viewing through said rear substrate.
 17. The exterior mirrorreflective element of claim 13, wherein said exterior mirror reflectiveelement comprises a convex curved exterior mirror reflective element,and wherein said exterior mirror reflective element is suitable for usein a passenger side vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly.
 18. Avariable reflectance exterior mirror reflective element suitable for usein a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said exterior mirrorreflective element comprising: a front glass substrate and a rear glasssubstrate; an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rearsubstrates; wherein said front substrate has a first surface and asecond surface; said second surface of said front substrate having atransparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat; wherein saidrear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface; a mirrorreflector disposed at a surface of said rear substrate; wherein saidmirror reflector comprises a stack of thin films comprising at least twothin films, and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least onemetal thin film; wherein a first thin film of said stack of thin filmscomprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about1×10⁻³ ohm.cm, and wherein a second thin film of said stack of thinfilms comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less thanabout 1×10⁻³ ohm.cm; wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed inan interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rearsubstrate and said second surface of said front substrate and is boundedby a perimeter seal; wherein no part of said rear substrate extendsbeyond any part of said front substrate; wherein a perimeter layer isdisposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate aperimeter edge of said front substrate; wherein said perimeter layergenerally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewingthrough said front substrate; wherein light that reflects off of saidmirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and saidfront substrate exhibits a substantially non-spectrally selectivereflectance characteristic to a person viewing said exterior mirrorreflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromicmedium; wherein said perimeter layer comprises a reflective perimeterlayer; wherein said perimeter layer comprises an electrically conductiveperimeter layer; wherein at least a portion of said mirror reflectorextends out under said perimeter seal towards a perimeter edge of saidrear substrate; wherein an electrical connection is made to said portionof said mirror reflector outboard of said perimeter seal; wherein saidexterior mirror reflective element is suitable for use in a driver sidevehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein said exteriormirror reflective element comprises aspheric substrates and has a morecurved outboard region and a less curved inboard region, and whereinsaid outboard region is further from a driver of a vehicle equipped withan exterior rearview mirror assembly that incorporates said exteriormirror reflective element and said inboard region is closer to thedriver of the equipped vehicle when said exterior mirror reflectiveelement is used in a driver side vehicular exterior rearview mirrorassembly attached at a driver side of the equipped vehicle; wherein ademarcation is provided between said more curved outboard region andsaid less curved inboard region of said exterior mirror reflectiveelement; wherein a display is disposed proximate said fourth surface ofsaid rear substrate of said mirror reflective element; wherein saiddisplay is disposed proximate said fourth surface of said rear substrateof said mirror reflective element at a light-transmitting portion ofsaid mirror reflector established by laser ablation; wherein saiddisplay comprises at least one light emitting diode; wherein saiddisplay is configured to be operated responsive to a blind spot detectorof the equipped vehicle; and wherein said at least one light emittingdiode, when activated responsive to the blind spot detector of theequipped vehicle, emits light that passes through saidlight-transmitting portion of said mirror reflector to be viewable to aperson viewing through said front substrate of said mirror reflectiveelement.
 19. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim 18, whereinsaid mirror reflector has a sheet resistance of less than about 5 ohmsper square.
 20. The exterior mirror reflective element of claim 19,wherein said electrical connection comprises a conductive epoxy, andwherein said perimeter seal is at least partially visible to a personviewing through said rear substrate.